Fortescue Marshes
Fortescue Marsh (or marshes) is a part of the upper reaches of the Fortescue River in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
![](../I/m/Pezoporus_occidentalis.jpg)
The catchment area at the headwaters of the river is particularly flat and marshy where the Western Creek, Warrawanda Creek and Fortescue River converge, the river then flows through a poorly defined channel as far as Gregory Gorge when the river starts to form a well defined channel and flows through a number of pools before reaching the estuarine area.
Important Bird Area
The 960 km2 (370 sq mi) Fortescue Marshes (22°26′44″S 119°26′38″E / 22.44556°S 119.44389°ECoordinates: 22°26′44″S 119°26′38″E / 22.44556°S 119.44389°E) have been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because, when the area is flooded it supports up to 270,000 waterbirds, including over 1% of the world populations of 14 species. The site is also the location for one of the only two records made since 1990 of the critically endangered night parrot.[1]
Iron ore mining
The area is also within the range of iron ore mine operations.[2][3][4][5]
The area is also regularly visited and issues assessed due to the sensitivity of the area and its geomorphology.[6][7][8]
The operations include the Roy Hill Iron Mine[9] and the Christmas Creek Iron Ore Mine.
Notes
- ↑ "IBA: Fortescue Marshes". Birdata. Birds Australia. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
- ↑ http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/133780/20120712-1424/fortescue+public+environment+report+201066.pdf
- ↑ http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23604/20070213-0000/www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/media/media.nsf/d3ea7ba6c70aeaae48256a7300318397/00ce09e525abb0ec4825715a00199c7702ec.html
- ↑ Western Australia. Environmental Protection Authority (2013), Environmental and water assessments relating to mining and mining-related activities in the Fortescue Marsh management area : advice of the Environmental Protection Authority to the Minister for Environment under Section 16(e) of the Environmental Protection Act 1986, [Perth, Western Australia] Environmental Protection Authority, retrieved 20 June 2015
- ↑ http://edit.epa.wa.gov.au/EPADocLib/Rep1484%20Fortescue%20Marsh%20s16e%20010713.pdf <
- ↑ Humphreys, W; Waldock, J (2000), Subterranean aquatic fauna downstream of the Fortescue Marsh : preliminary report, Western Australian Museum, retrieved 20 June 2015
- ↑ Van Leeuwen, Stephen (2004), Background documentation : Fortescue Marsh visit : Conservation Commission, Western Australia, Friday 1 July 2005, Dept. of Conservation & Land Management, retrieved 20 June 2015
- ↑ Jackson, Jennifer; Kern, Stephen; Pinder, Adrian; Nowicki, Anna; Daniel, Glen (2009), Resource condition report for significant Western Australian wetland : wetlands of the Fortescue River system, Dept. of Environment & Conservation, retrieved 20 June 2015
- ↑ SMEC Australia Pty Ltd (2009), Roy Hill 1 iron ore mining project : draft public environmental review : appendices : appendix 6 : Fortescue Marsh management plan, SMEC Australia Pty Ltd, retrieved 20 June 2015