7.20

Progress

25%

25% Complete.
Government approval of policy/process development.

That the Beetaloo Sub-basin SREBA must identify and characterise all subterranean aquatic ecosystems, with particular emphasis on the Roper River region.

Target completion date

Stage 3.
To be completed by end December 2022.

Reform area
Safeguarding water and the environment
Project action
Maintaining and monitoring ecosystem health
Lead agency
Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security

Action item update

Implementation progress

The Framework for Strategic Regional and Environmental Baseline Assessment: A guide to undertaking a Strategic Regional and Environmental Baseline Assessment (SREBA) in the Northern Territory was released in July 2020 and can be found here PDF (39.7 MB).

Government has determined a SREBA is required for the Beetaloo sub-Basin.  The region-specific Scopes of Work for various baseline studies will be approved by the Minister for the Environment.

The Scope of Work for the aquatic ecosystems components of the SREBA for the Beetaloo Sub-basin is currently under development, and this will include consideration of subterranean ecosystems, which will also be informed by baseline studies in the Water domain.

Work in the Beetaloo Sub-basin will be undertaken in cooperation with the Commonwealth Government's Geological and Bioregional Assessment program in that region, which has also funded additional ecological studies. A preliminary investigation of stygofauna in the Beetaloo Sub-basin is being undertaken under the GISERA program, and this will inform the requirements for any further work on subterranean fauna.