Information from Action 4.1 will help establish a
robust information base of long-term trends and
variation in water levels in key rivers in the MMNR.
However, although an essential first step, pressure for water
extraction and use is likely to intensity during the 10-year
implementation period of this plan, and monitoring
alone will not
be sufficient to ensure that sufficient water reaches the MMNR and
the SNP to support the wildlife these areas
contain. As such, MMNR management will further collaborate with
WWF, and other key stakeholders in the catchment, to support the
development of low water early warning system for keyrivers in the
MMNR. This will be designed to trigger responses upstream to reduce
extraction, and hopefully increase the river’s
overall water level during critical periods. Using the information
from Action 4.1, and other existing literature
and studies, a vital first step will be to establish critical low
water thresholds that once crossed will initiate an
upstream response. Once these benchmarks have been established,
MMNR management will continue to support and participate in
activities led by WWF in the establishment of the low
water level early warning system, and in discussions
with key upstream stakeholders regarding their
responses when the low water thresholds are
breached.
