Monitoring and research

Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems and support unique biological assets, including numerous invertebrates, fish, and plant species. They are generally resilient ecosystems able to cope with regular change, but in catchments that have been significantly modified, major rainfall and flooding can impact estuarine water quality and ecosystem health.

The Monitoring and Research action will develop, implement and assess various ecological monitoring methods in NSW estuaries. This will establish environmental baselines from which we can identify future ecological impacts due to flooding and other extreme events.

This action includes a centrepiece project to monitor fish, biodiversity and habitats in NSW estuaries, as well as several smaller projects expanding on existing research in Fisheries to better understand the specific impacts of floods.