The contribution of river murray tributaries to the flooding of barman forest

Abstract

The Barmah River Red Gum forest are part of a larger tract of such forests along the River Murray. It is known that river flooding provides an important source of water for the sustenance of these forests. The contribution of River Murray tributaries to the flooding of these forest was examined. The main stem of the River Murray above lake Hume was the single most important source. Removal of this would lead to a 55 percent decrease in forest flooding. Removal of either the Ovens or the Mitta Mitta would lead to a 30 percent reduction in flooding, while removal of the Kiewa river would lead to a 15 percent reduction in flooding. No particular tributary can be regarded as a source of extreme forest floods since all tributaries more or less act in concert. A backwater influence of high water levels at the down strewn confluence of the Goulburn and Murray Rivers leads to high water levels in the River at Barmah. However, because of the short-lived nature of such high, water levels it is unlikely that such floods penetrate very far into the forest unless they are also associated with flows in the River Murray.