The Coongie Lakes Ramsar site is located in far north-east South Australia in the Cooper Creek subcatchment of the Lake Eyre Basin. It is a complex and extensive ephemeral and semi-permanent freshwater wetland system in an arid zone, comprising channels, waterholes, lakes, internal deltas and numerous shallow floodout plains, interdune corridors and swamps. Rivers in the Lake Eyre Basin are characterised by extreme variations in discharge, flow duration and inundation. Much of the northern parts of the Ramsar site receive water every year via Cooper Creek, whereas the lower reaches receive water less frequently. The highly variable nature of watering in Coongie Lakes engenders an ecological boom-and-bust character to the region. Floodwaters promote a period of flourishing plant growth, and an influx and breeding of fauna including macroinvertebrates, fishes and waterfowl. Several vegetation communities, including River Red Gum and Coolibah woodlands, and Saltbush and Bindyi shrublands occur along the channels, in the claypans and on the dunes. Eighty-three species of waterbirds, 18 species listed under international migratory bird agreements and 18 species of birds of prey have been recorded in Coongie Lakes. Other fauna includes 12 native fish, such as the Cooper Creek Catfish and the Lake Eyre Callop, and 10 frog species including the Water-holding Frog, Grassland Collared Frog and Trilling Frog. Notable reptiles include Red-napped Snake, Black-headed Goanna and the Woma Python. The Plague Rat and the Water Rat, which are restricted to areas of permanent water, are also recorded at Coongie Lakes. Over 350 plant species are present at the site. Cooper Creek was an important trading route for the three Indigenous communities that occupied the Coongie Lakes area. Whilst Indigenous people no longer live traditionally in the area, local descendants are involved in the protection of the extensive sites including burial sites, quarries, engravings, initiation sites and living areas. European settlement and pastoralism came to the area in the 1870s following the expeditions of Charles Sturt in 1845 and Burke and Wills in 1861. The area is now used for grazing and for oil and gas production. Tourism is an increasing industry, particularly during periods of flooding and bird breeding events.
Coongie Lakes
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site, Ecological Character Description
Climate change could lead to increased temperatures and evaporation leading to increased length of dry periods and reduced inundation.
Waterbird populations may be affected by climate change if increased temperatures lead to increased evaporation and faster drying of wetlands (Kingsford and Porter 2008).
Decreases in local rainfall and run off as a result of climate change could have an impact on the persistence of waterholes in dry periods.
Increased temperatures leading to increased evaporation; leading Climate change to increased length of dry Medium Short to long term periods.
Climate change has the potential to exacerbate the impacts of upstream water extraction through increased temperature and evaporation. .
The aspects of climate that most directly affect wetland ecology are rainfall (both local and in the catchment); temperature and evaporation as these all fundamentally affect wetland hydrology and the water budget.
Climate change could lead to increased temperatures and evaporation leading to increased length of dry periods and reduced inundation.
Waterbird populations may be affected by climate change if increased temperatures lead to increased evaporation and faster drying of wetlands (Kingsford and Porter 2008).
Decreases in local rainfall and run off as a result of climate change could have an impact on the persistence of waterholes in dry periods.
Increased temperatures leading to increased evaporation; leading Climate change to increased length of dry Medium Short to long term periods.
Climate change has the potential to exacerbate the impacts of upstream water extraction through increased temperature and evaporation. .
The aspects of climate that most directly affect wetland ecology are rainfall (both local and in the catchment); temperature and evaporation as these all fundamentally affect wetland hydrology and the water budget.
In small flood events; there was a significant decrease; 75 percent; in inundation extent which would also have significant impacts on riparian vegetation (Cobon and Toombs 2007).
The key feature of the site is the high variability in the hydrological regime which switches on different wetlands and areas of floodplain at different times and scales according to the season; flood frequency; magnitude and duration of floods and intervening periods of dry.
Costelloe et al. (2009) showed that the salinity of surface sediments in dry lake beds also increased as the frequency of drying increased.
In small flood events; there was a significant decrease; 75 percent; in inundation extent which would also have significant impacts on riparian vegetation (Cobon and Toombs 2007).
Costelloe et al. (2009) showed that the salinity of surface sediments in dry lake beds also increased as the frequency of drying increased.
Table 11 Frequency of inundation and drying in sampled water bodies for the period 1973 2008 (W waterhole channel site; L Lake; I delta) (from Puckridge et al. 2010).
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