Region: Ovens

Legal Number: LEGL/93-154/1

Plantation: Cropper Creek

Conservation Priority: High

Plantation within Australian Newsprint Mill (ANM) Ltd area of supply.

Plantation within Carter Holt Harvey (now owned by International Paper) area of supply.

Plantation within Dominance Industries (Alpine MDF Industries) area of supply.

Plantation within D & R Henderson/Monsbent area of supply.

North East Victoria Plantation Map here

Site of Cropper Creek hydrological study see here

Feb 2011: Huge Sediment loads (up to 31.1 tonnes/ha post plantation salvage logging

"Post-fire and harvesting water quality impacts were greatest during storm events. Sediment and nutrient yields from the burnt and harvested pine catchment greatly exceeded those from the burnt native forest catchments. The largest increases in yields were for sediment (33 and 180 times the yields from the two burnt native forest catchments) and particulate phosphorous (20 and 78 times). However, figures for increases in sediment yield from the pine catchment are conservative because large quantities of bedload material exported from the catchment could not be measured. The increase in sediment yield from the pine catchment was probably closer to 71 and 320 times yields from the two burnt native forest catchments. These estimates are based on a survey of eroded channels in the pine catchment combined with measurement of the post-survey sediment output Including the measured bedload, the total sediment yield following wildfire and harvesting from Clem increases to 31.1 t ha -1"

Proclaimed Water Catchment Area: This plantation area is located in the Buffalo River (Lake Buffalo) Water Supply Catchment.

Herbicides Used by Hancock in Pine Plantations - North East Region Victoria

OVENS RIVER SUPPLIES WANGARATTA WITH WATER. MURRAY RIVER SUPPLIES WATER TO YARRAWONGA, COBRAM, BARMAH, ECHUCA , KERANG, PIANGIL, SWAN HILL, ROBINVALE, MILDURA

Beautiful buffer zone of Cropper Creek. It's a pity that more of Hancock's north east plantations aren't as impressive as this. Old growth can be found in this buffer - thus the plantation is warranted a high conservation importance.

THREATENED FISH NOTES - OVENS RIVER: Most important river in Victoria in regard to the survival of the Murray Cod. Murray Cod spawn almost as far up as Myrtleford and the Ovens supplies recruitment for the Murray River as well. The Ovens has no dams and is a river of extreme national significance. Trout Cod are now being found in the Ovens and may set up a self sustaining spawning population. Trout Cod have been successfully stocked into Ovens and upper Ovens, downstream of Myrtleford and going up the King River - past Moyhu. All the tribs of the Ovens are important for native fish including King, Buffalo and Buckland Rivers.

Responsible Authority: Alpine Shire Council?/Wangaratta Shire Council

Plantation Catchment: Several tributaries flowing north into Cropper Creek and Cropper Creek north branch/Lake Buffalo/Buffalo River/Ovens River. Several tributaries of Clem Creek.

Catchment Managment Authority: North East Catchment Management Authority

View looking east towards Mount Buffalo. Minimal slope problems are evident in this plantation.

Other notes: A Report on the Buffalo River - 1984. Soil Conservation Authority.

"Lake Buffalo construction was completed in 1965. It is used for irrigation. p3 Soils: predominantly hilly and mountainous area of Ordovician mudstones, shales and sandstones, with massive granitic intrusions at Abbeyard, Mt Emu and principally Mt Buffalo . . . p8 Erosion from disturbed sites in or close to streams and the removal of ground-cover over extensive areas by wildfire are the greatest potential hazards to water quality. Some disturbances may arise through farming activities, clearing, or forest operations (roading, logging)...”

“Special Investigation: North-Eastern Victoria - Ovens Softwood Plantation Zone. Land Conservation Council 1981.

p11 Central Region To the north and east of the Eastern Boundary Fault lies an extensive area of mountainous terrain composed of Ordovician sandstones and mudstones that are less resistant to erosion than the rocks of the south-western region. The drainage pattern is dendritic and the streams are seperated by sharp ridges and spurs. The mountains to the south of Mount Buffalo are typical of this region, which extends east to Mount Beauty and north to Myrtleford.

In the north-west around Moyhu and Bobinalwarral the ridges of Ordovician sediments become buried beneath the alluvial deposits of the riverine plain. Within the region, exposures of granitic rocks have intruded into the surrounding Ordovician sediments. Intense heat associated with the intrusions has altered (or metamorphosed) the adjacent sedimentary rocks. The granite outcrops at Mount Buffalo and Mount Emu are extremely resistant, while the surrounding sedimentary rocks which are less resistant have been deeply dissected.

In contrast, the granite in the Pinnacles area to the east of Myrtleford is more susceptible to weathering and erosion and as a consequence the terrain in this area is more subdued. A ridge of metamorphic rocks borders Happy Valley to the east of Myrtleford. Friable reddish and brownish gradational soils occur on the Ordovician sediments of this region, while the granitic rocks of Buffalo Plateau and Mount Emu exhibit a variety of soil types. Stony loams are characteristic of rocky outcrops while poorly drained sites contain organic loams and peats. Sandy loams and friable gradational soils are found on the lower slopes of these intrusions. The less resistant granitic rocks at the Pinnacles and Abbeyard carry a variety of gradational soils on the upper slopes and a range of duplex soils at lower elevations. The gradational soils are suitable for softwoods, but the poorly drained duplex soils are not.

Ovens River: The rivers all flow north, from heavily forested mountain country through excessive river flats to the Murray River. Murray cod populations close to the Murray River. Small river blackfish are common in many rivers, Macquarie Perch are still occasionally caught, and catches of golden perch are also being reported. Brown trout widely distributed through system with rainbow trout most abundant in upper reaches.

Buffalo Lake - Dandongadale: A deep water storage surrounded by cleared land. A poor producer of trout for some unknown reason. Adult Macquarie Perch translocated in 1981 and 1991 to bolster the remnant population in the lake. Wide fluctuations in water level. Contains some brown trout to 2kg and rainbow trout to 550g, also abundant redfin, some to 1.7kg, goldfish and some Macquarie Perch. Also possibly an occasional Murray Cod. Trout spawn in the Buffalo River above the lake.

Source: A Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria by BR Tunbridge, PL Rogan, CA Barnham. Department Conservation and Environment. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, 123 Brown St, Heidelberg, 3084. (4th ed - 1991)

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