Marina for American River
Submitted by SARFAC Wednesday, 5th February 2003

From: mccnsa@senet.com.au
To: Recipient list suppressed
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 11:47 AM
Subject: Marina for American River

FYI
This would appear to be at the mouth of the Pelican Lagoon Aquatic Reserve - a wetland of national significance - and important fisheries and bird habitat - see below for EA briefing on area. Key threat identified is : Motor boats cause water disturbance, and silting of seagrass and algae meadows.

In the mid 1990s local KI residents campaigned to stop commercial boat tours on the lagoon - however no long term management to prevent boating impacts or minimise jetski use (to minimise bird disturbance) were implemented by PIRSA or DEH to protect this important wetland habitat.

Marina for American River
Reference : The KI Islander
Friday, 31 January 2003

Kangaroo Island has always been regarded as the destination of choice for boat owners. The long-term problem has been the absence of marina berths.

Plans have now been submitted to the Kangaroo Island Council for the development of a 66-berth marina at American River. The site, accessed via Tangara Drive, is adjacent to the existing jetty and foreshore facilities.

As part of the project, it is proposed to include sullage and fuelling facilities/both diesel and petrol. Shower and toilet facilities would also be provided.

The marina berths are currently being marketed off the plan. The final layout of the marina can only be determined once the majority of berths have been selected. The proposed plan shows single and double berths, ranging in size from 12 metres upwards.

Following Council approval, plans for the marina will require approval from the Development Assessment Commission.

Howard Young from Kinsmen said that the initial response has been very promising.

"We have received significant interest from our mailout to Kangaroo Island residents and from our data base,"

'There is absolutely no doubt that when asked, everyone says that American River is the perfect marina destination.

"We are endeavouring to fulfil that demand by providing facilities that are safe, environmentally sensitive and affordable."

Further registrations of interest are now being sought and will be followed by an exclusive offer period. People wanting to register their interest should contact Kristin Phillips, Kinsmen Realty on 8223 6722 or for further information look at the website www.kinsmen.com.au.

ANCA 1994, Listing of Wetlands of Importance to Australia, Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council's Wetland Network, Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra, 1994.

Pelican Lagoon is listed as "a Wetland of Importance for Australia, as defined by criteria established by the committee of Australian and New Zealand state and federal environment ministers, ANZECC. ANZECC have defined the on-site threat and disturbance to Pelican Lagoon as "motor boats causing water disturbance, silting of marine grass and algae meadows". (ANCA 1994).

The listing has been slightly revised in the web-based version from the original 1994 publication -mainly expanded information and species list and inclusion of elevation and other data that was absent.

Old (1994) Criteria for inclusion

• 4. It is a wetland which is important as the habitat for animal taxa at a vulnerable stage in their life cycles, or provides a refuge when adverse conditions such as drought prevail.
• 6. The wetland supports native plant or animal taxa or communities which are considered rare, vulnerable or endangered at the national level. Recognised Cultural, Scientific or recreational values
• 8. The wetland is particularly important for educational, research recreation or has outstanding aesthetic values.

The web based listing has a changed criteria code 1-6 as opposed to 1-8.

Old criteria

1. It is a good example of a wetland type occurring in Australia.
2. It is a type of wetland which is rare in Australia Wetlands with special ecological / hydrological values
3. It is a wetland which plays an integral ecological or hydrological role in the natural functioning of a major wetland system/complex.
4. It is a wetland which is important as the habitat for animal taxa at a vulnerable stage in their life cycles, or provides a refuge when adverse conditions such as drought prevail.
5. The wetland is of special value for maintaining national biodiversity.
   • For example, because it supports 1% or more of the national populations of any native plant or animal taxa.
   • Rarity of species and communities.
6. The wetland supports native plant or animal taxa or communities which are considered rare, vulnerable or endangered at the national level. Recognised Cultural, Scientific or recreational values
7. The wetland is of outstanding historical or cultural significance, especially to indigenous people.
8. The wetland is particularly important for educational, research recreation or has outstanding aesthetic values.

In earlier listing was only classified as wetland type A1 A2

• A1 - Marine waters - permanent shallow waters less than six metres deep at low tide; includes sea bays, straits
• A2 - Subtidal aquatic beds; includes kelp beds, seagrasses, tropical marine meadows

Revised Criteria from Web site
Reference : Environment Australia Website

1. It is a good example of a wetland type occurring within a biogeographic region in Australia.
2. It is a wetland which plays an important ecological or hydrological role in the natural functioning of a major wetland system/complex.
3. It is a wetland which is important as the habitat for animal taxa at a vulnerable stage in their life cycles, or provides a refuge when adverse conditions such as drought prevail.
4. The wetland supports 1% or more of the national populations of any native plant or animal taxa.
5. The wetland supports native plant or animal taxa or communities which are considered endangered or vulnerable at the national level.
6. The wetland is of outstanding historical or cultural significance.

Wetland Classification - (A) Marine and Coastal Zone Wetlands

• A1 - Marine waters - permanent shallow waters less than six metres deep at low tide; includes sea bays, straits
• A2 - Subtidal aquatic beds; includes kelp beds, seagrasses, tropical marine meadows
• A3 - Coral reefs
• A4 - Rocky marine shores; includes rocky offshore islands, sea cliffs
• A5 - Sand, shingle or pebble beaches; includes sand bars, spits, sandy islets
• A6 - Estuarine waters; permanent waters of estuaries and estuarine systems of deltas A7 - Intertidal mud, sand or salt flats
• A8 - Intertidal marshes; includes saltmarshes, salt meadows, saltings, raised salt marshes, tidal brackish and freshwater marshes
• A9 - Intertidal forested wetlands; includes mangrove swamps, nipa swamps, tidal freshwater swamp forests
• A10 - Brackish to saline lagoons and marshes with one or more relatively narrow connections with the sea
• A11 - Freshwater lagoons and marshes in the coastal zone A12 - Non-tidal freshwater forested wetlands

American River Wetland System - SA021

American River Wetland System - SA021

Location: 35 degrees 49' S, 137 degrees 47' E; eastern Kangaroo Island, located within Eastern Cove, 22 km south east of Kingscote and 4 km south from the American River township. The wetland system includes the American River channel, Pelican Lagoon at the end of the channel, and a portion of the mainland to the east of the Lagoon.

Area: c. 2000 ha.

Elevation: 0-10 m ASL (reaches up to 30 m ASL on the mainland).

Other listed wetlands in same aggregation: None.

Wetland type: A1, A2, A5, A7, A8, A10.

• A1 - Marine waters - permanent shallow waters less than six metres deep at low tide; includes sea bays, straits
• A2 - Subtidal aquatic beds; includes kelp beds, seagrasses, tropical marine meadows
• A5 - Sand, shingle or pebble beaches; includes sand bars, spits, sandy islets
• A8 - Intertidal marshes; includes saltmarshes, salt meadows, saltings, raised salt marshes, tidal brackish and freshwater marshes
• A10 - Brackish to saline lagoons and marshes with one or more relatively narrow connections with the sea

Criteria for inclusion: 1, 3, 5, 6,

Site description :
The wetland system consists of several large, permanently shallow lagoons (namely Pelican Lagoon) which are connected to the open sea by a narrow channel known as American River. The lagoons contain eight islets and the shorelines include shelly beaches, and tidal mud and sand flats. At the entrance to the American River channel, two rocky limestone points (Strawbridge and Buicks Points) occur.

Physical features : Landform: Sand and mud flats, seagrass meadows, tidal channel with coarse sand and shell fragments. Climate: Mean annual rainfall is 520 mm.

Hydrological features : Water supply: Pelican Lagoon may receive some freshwater inflow, via the American River channel, from several unnamed creeks originating 1 km to the north west. Water depth: Pelican Lagoon - less than 2 m deep at low tide. Water salinity: Similar to that of sea water, but likely to vary.

Ecological features :

Ecological role:
The area provides habitat which is important as a refuge and breeding area for many species of invertebrate, fish and waterbirds. The site contains abundant seagrass and algal beds which are important feeding grounds for aquatic birds and many marine organisms. American River is a known nursery area for the King George Whiting Sillaginodes punctata. As this species is heavily fished for commercial and recreational purposes, the nursery is important for re-stocking the local ecosystem.

Plant structural formations:
Samphire low shrublands on mud flats; mainly healthland, herbland and open scrubland on the mainland.

Significance :

Notable flora:
Threatened species: None identified. Composition: The upper sublittoral zone consists of algae Sargassum biforme and Scaberia, and seagrasses Posidonia australis and Heterozostera tasmanica; the mud flats support a low shrub community of samphires Sarcocornia sp. and Halosarcia sp.; the islets are mainly vegetated with heathlands of Olearia axillaris and Pimelea serpyllifolia; the mainland section is dominated by heathlands of Acacia leiophylla and Orthrosanthus multiflorus, Senecio odoratus herblands, Eucalyptus diversifolia open scrublands, and grazed grasslands.

Notable fauna:
Threatened species: Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis (Nv, Sv), Little Egret Egretta garzetta (Sv), Osprey Pandion haliaetus (Sv), White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster (Sv), Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae (Sv), Musk Duck Biziura lobata (Sv), Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis (Sv), Fairy Tern Sterna nereis (Sv), Eastern Reef Egret Egretta sacra (Sr) and Australasian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis (Sr). Composition 56 waterbird species recorded; 17 listed under treaties. Breeding: Nine species found breeding; including Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris, Sooty Oystercatcher H. fuliginosus, Hooded Plover, Red- capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus and Caspian Tern Sterna caspia. Migration stop-over: 13 species of migrant shorebird occur, comprising the Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola, Pacific Golden Plover P. fulva, Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus, Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus, Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, Red Knot Calidris canutus, and Sanderling C. alba.

Other Fauna:
Aquatic invertebrate fauna: Records of sponges, starfishes Patiriella exigua and Uniophora sp. anemones, holothurian, polychaetes, razor fish Pinna sp., molluscs Bembicium sp., mussels Modiolus inconstans and Austromytilus erosuss, and crabs Philyra paragrapsus and Helograpsuss sp. Fishes: King George Whiting, Sand Flathead, Yellow-eye Mullet Aldrichetta forsteri, Australian Salmon Arripis truttacea, Southern Sea Garfish Hyporhampus melanochir, Tommy Ruff Arripis georgiana and Squid Sepioteuthis australis are the major species found in the system. Stingrays, eaglerays and small sharks also occur. Mammals: The area is important to local Bottle-nosed Dolphin Tursiops truncatus pods, and is used by the Australian Sea-lion Neophoca cinerea (Sr) (Edyvane in press b).

Social and Cultural values :

Cultural:
American River is one of the oldest known areas in South Australia. There are numerous maritime heritage items within the township, on the coast and within the Pelican Lagoon Conservation Park. The lagoon itself is considered to be of State heritage due to its variety of historical associations relating to initial contact and primary industries.

Research:
The American River Inlet has been a regular research site since the early 1940s for marine algal collections and intertidal studies.

Recreation:
The American River township (population 250) is a popular tourist destination and usually experiences higher populations during the summer season. The town offers a permanent coastal mooring facility for 81 boats.

Land tenure :
Crown Land - sections along the eastern shoreline of Pelican Lagoon are Coastal Reserves; the eastern mainland portion, Coastal Reserves, and five of the islets are in the Pelican Lagoon Conservation Park (366 ha); most of the water and mud flats are in the American River Aquatic Reserve (1525 ha). Private land.

Current land use :
Nature conservation, fishing and boating. Stock grazing, fishing, boating and medium human population.

Disturbance or threat :
Motor boats cause water disturbance, and silting of seagrass and algae meadows.

Conservation measures taken :
Management plan for Pelican Lagoon Conservation Park prepared in 1987. The Park is listed on the Register of the National Estate.

Management authority and jurisdiction :
The Conservation Park is managed by DENR. District office located at Kingscote. The American River Aquatic Reserve is managed by S.A. Department of Fisheries.