Watervalley Wetlands

The Watervalley Wetlands is a nationally important wetland system located in the Australian state of South Australia which consists of a series of contiguous wetlands, lying on 56.6 square kilometres (21.9 sq mi) of private land[2] between the Coorong National Park and Gum Lagoon Conservation Park, in the state's south-east.[1]

Watervalley Wetlands
Watervalley Wetlands
LocationMurray and Mallee & Limestone Coast regions
South Australia[1]
Coordinates36°28′0″S 140°11′0″E[2]
Basin countriesAustralia
Managing agencyWetlands and Wildlife Trust
South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board[2]
DesignationNationally important wetland[2]
Surface area56.6 square kilometres (21.9 sq mi)[2]
Surface elevation15 to 35 metres (49 to 115 ft)[2]
References[2]
The wetlands are an important site for sharp-tailed sandpipers

Description

The wetlands comprise Mandina Marshes, Mandina Lake, Cortina Lakes, Mrs Whites Lagoon, Caora and South Flagstaff, which form a chain between relict dune systems inland of the Coorong, about 250 km south-east of Adelaide. The water in the wetlands ranges from fresh to saline according to seasonal conditions. The area has a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers, and with an average annual rainfall of 450-500 mm. Most of the land is owned by Wetlands & Wildlife, a private conservation and land rehabilitation company, with the remainder expected to become the property of the company in due course.[3]

Fauna

Birds

The site has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports over 1% of the world populations of sharp-tailed sandpipers, and sometimes of blue-billed and musk ducks, when water levels are suitable. It also provides habitat for diamond firetails.[4] Other birds of conservation significance present at the wetlands include black-backed and Australasian bitterns, freckled ducks, Australasian shovellers, white-bellied sea-eagles, peregrine falcons, Latham's snipes, Baillon's and spotless crakes, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, southern emu-wrens, chestnut-rumped heathwrens, diamond and beautiful firetails, and black-chinned honeyeaters. The wetlands also support large breeding colonies of several thousand ibises, egrets, spoonbills and cormorants.[3]

Other animals

The site is home to red-necked wallabies and common wombats at the extreme western limit of their range. Rosenberg's goannas are present. Growling grass frogs and Yarra pygmy perch have been recorded.[3]

References
  1. "Search result for Watervalley Wetlands with the following layers selected - 'suburbs', "NPWSA properties', 'State Gov Regions' and 'Wetlands of National Importance'". NatureMaps. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  2. de Jong, M.C. (1995). "Search result for 'Watervalley Wetlands - SA064'". Australian Wetlands Database » Directory of Important Wetlands. Australian government. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  3. BirdLife International. (2011). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Watervalley Wetlands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2011-11-21.
  4. "Important Bird Areas factsheet: Gum Lagoon". BirdLife International. 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2015.


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