WETLAND RESTORATION ON PRIVATE LAND CASE STUDY 2: COLERAINE DISTRICT

Nature Glenelg Trust has recently installed another wetland restoration structure, with the support of an enthusiastic landholder on a large cattle and sheep property located in the Coleraine district in South West Victoria.

This project was driven by the landholder’s strong interest in sustainable environmental management on the property and the wider district, and aims to encourage a resurgence in native wildlife visiting the property.

The wetland restoration structure was installed within an existing artificial drainage channel, which during flow events can flow in either direction (adding a degree of site complexity), but was typically resulting in the artificial drainage of the wetland once winter inflows had ceased – impacting on the depth and duration of inundation into the drier months. Hence, the design brief was to have a structure that could both: (a) let water flow into the wetland via the shallow gradient drain when the downstream dam is full, but also (b) be used to restrict water draining out of the wetland, once the downstream dam level recedes in the spring.

NGT therefore designed and constructed a weir structure that can be actively and flexibly managed to retain water in the wetland for longer each year, using locally sourced hard ballast rock and wire baskets to form the geometry of the weir. The use of predominantly natural materials is also an important component of the restoration philosophy.

Now that the weir structure is in place the landholder is will install stock-proof fencing around the wetland perimeter, so that ground disturbance is reduced and to promote native vegetation regeneration associated with the restored water regime, to improve habitat conditions for native wildlife like Brolgas.

The reinstatement of hydrological regimes is an integral component of restoring wetland systems.  More imagery from this site will be provided after winter rains, later in the year.

This Case Study is the second in a series to illustrate wetland restoration in practice, delivered through Nature Glenelg Trust’s Wetland Restoration Program on Private Land and funded by the Australian Government.

  • Update #1 – Wetland Restoration on Private Land Case Study 2 – Coleraine District 16/01/2014
    Back in December I kicked off the annual monitoring of the “wetland restoration on private land” sites, visiting one at Coleraine where we installed a regulator last year. I’m pleased to report that this wetland was still full and a large number of birds are currently calling it home.  The site has also recently been ...

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