Research Branch Report No. 144

A vegetation survey of the Dartmouth Dam reservoir area.  E. A. Chesterfield, R. D. Macauley and P. Baulch.  September 1979.  42 pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

This report records the results of a vegetation survey by Officers of the Biological Survey Branch of the area to be inundated by the Dartmouth Dam on the Mitta Mitta River in north-eastern Victoria. The survey was part of a major study co-ordinated by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, of various aspects of the natural environment in the vicinity of the Dam.

A total of 511 temporary plots located at the intercepts of a 400 x 400 m grid were used to identify the flora, determine its organisation into plant communities and to provide a permanent record of pre-inundation vegetation. A total of 488 species were recorded. Six plant communities were defined and their locations mapped in the study area.

The structure and common species in each community are listed in the following table.

Community TypeStructurePrincipal Species

1

Grassy open forest
(28 - 40 m)

Eucalyptus radiata, E. viminalis, Acacia dealbata, Rubus procerus*, Pteridium esculentum and herbs

2

Open forest
(15 - 40 m)

E. radiata, R. procerus*, Platylobium formosum, Tetratheca ciliata, Hibbertia obtusifolia, Poa sieberana, Themeda australis, P. esculentum and forbs

3

Grassy open forest or woodland
(15 - 28 m)

Eucalyptus macrorhyncha, E. dives, E. radiata, E. rubida, A. dealbata, Leptospermum juniperinum, R. procerus*, P. sieberana, T. australis and forbs

4

Shrubby open forest
(15 - 28 m)

E. dives, E. macrorhyncha, Brachyloma daphnoides, Monotoca scoparia, P. formosum, H. obtusifolia, T. ciliata, Gevillea polybractea, Daviesia virgata, T. australis, P. sieberana and sparse forbs

5

Closed scrub-riverine
(2 - 9 m)

Leptospermum phylicoides, L. brevipes, scattered E. radiata, E. camphora, E. viminalis and herbs

6

Swamp

Phragmites communis, Eleocharis sphacelata, Eleocharis acuta

Community types 1 and 2 occupied the gullies or cool sheltered aspects. The woodlands of community type 3 occurred on uncommon flat to undulating areas but also extended on to warmer, northern aspects, although these are more generally forested with the shrubby forests of community type 4. Along the river margins, dense Leptospermum scrubs of community type 5 occurred while community type 6 was uncommon upstream of the dam wall.

Permanent plots were established in these communities where they occurred on the proposed high water-line so that re-measurements could be made following inundation. Parameters of the vegetation, topography and soil were recorded and the plots photographed in both vertical and horizontal planes. The most important weed species in the catchment was introduced blackberry, Rubus procerus*. This species dominated the understory on any reliably moist site, but was poorly represented on drier sites. The blackberry will make access to the new water-line impossible or at least extremely unpleasant in many localities.

* denotes introduced species

Also published:

Chesterfield, E.A., Macauley, R.D. and Baulch, P. (1978)  Dartmouth Environmental Study report on the vegetation survey of the Dartmouth Dam reservoir area in Victoria.  State Riv. and Water Supply Comm. Dartmouth Dam Project : report on environmental studies, 1978, 66 pp.