Guidelines for management of inland wetlands in southern New South Wales.

Wetlands in inland New South Wales fall into two broad categories – those flooded from major rivers and those flooded from local catchments. Wetlands flooded from major rivers can sometimes be manipulated hydrologically. Their water levels may be controlled by weirs or by special water releases. This short note provides some guidelines for hydrological management of inland wetlands, whose water supply can be controlled, in southern New South Wales. Further information is contained in the papers and reports listed at the end of the note. Wetlands in southern inland New South Wales usually flood naturally in late winter or spring. Summer floods are uncommon. These wetlands do not necessarily flood every year, and they sometimes stay inundated for a few years. Pattern and duration of flooding depend on amount and timing of catchment precipitation, evaporation and the elevation of the wetland on the floodplain. Storage and release of water for downstream use usually alter wetland hydrological regimes. Summer flooding frequently becomes more common, and duration of inundation may increase or frequency of medium floods decrease depending on wetland location (Briggs 1988a).