literature review/ gap analysis

Literature Review/ Gap Analysis

Tecticornia studies of

Lake Way

September 2019

Version 1

Prepared by:

Botanica Consulting

PO Box 2027

Boulder WA 6432

90930024

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Document Job Number: 2019/76

Prepared by: Lauren Pick

Senior Environmental Consultant

Botanica Consulting

Approved by: Jim Williams

Director

Botanica Consulting

Contents Page No.

1 Introduction 1 1.1 Project Description ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Objectives .............................................................................................................................................. 1

2 Methodology 3 2.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Database Searches ............................................................................................................................... 3

3 Results 4 3.1 Flora ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.1.1 Species Accumulation............................................................................................................................ 8 3.2 Vegetation .............................................................................................................................................. 9

4 Knowledge Gaps/ Recommendations 10

5 Bibliography 11

Tables

Table 3-2: Tecticornia previously recorded at Lake Way .................................................................................. 4 Table 3-1: Summary of Tecticornia complexes at Lake Way ........................................................................... 9

Figures

Figure 1-1: Lake Way Sulphate of Potash Project Layout................................................................................. 2 Figure 3-1: Tecticornia Specimens at Lake Way ............................................................................................... 6 Figure 3-2: Significant Tecticornia at Lake Way ................................................................................................ 7 Figure 3-3: Species accumulation curve ........................................................................................................... 8

Glossary

Acronym Description

ANCA Australian Nature Conservation Agency.

BAM Act Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007, WA Government.

BC Act Biodiversity and Conservation Act 2016, WA Government.

Botanica Botanica Consulting.

BoM Bureau of Meteorology.

DAFWA Department of Agriculture and Food (now DPIRD), WA Government.

DBCA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (formerly DPaW), WA

Government.

DEC Department of Environment and Conservation (now DBCA), WA Government.

DER Department of Environment Regulation (now DWER), WA Government.

Development

Envelopes

On-Playa Development Envelope (includes brine extraction trenches with ponds and

associated pumps and pipework)

Off-Playa Development Envelope (includes brine abstraction bores, process water

bore fields, processing plant, process water pumps and pipework and associated

infrastructure)

DMIRS Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (formerly DMP), WA

Government

DMP Department of Mines and Petroleum (now DMIRS), WA Government.

DotEE Department of the Environment and Energy (formerly DSEWPaC), Australian

Government.

DoW Department of Water (now DWER), WA Government.

DpaW Department of Parks and Wildlife (now DBCA), WA Government.

DPIRD Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, WA Government

DWER Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (formerly OEPA, DER and DoW),

WA Government

EP Act Environmental Protection Act 1986, WA Government.

EP Regulations Environmental Protection (Clearing of Native Vegetation) Regulations 2004, WA

Government.

EPA Environmental Protection Authority, WA Government.

EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Australian

Government.

ESA Environmentally Sensitive Area.

Ha Hectare (10,000 square metres).

IBRA Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia.

IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources –

commonly known as the World Conservation Union.

MVG Major Vegetation Groups.

NVIS National Vegetation Information System.

OEPA Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (now DWER), WA Government.

PEC Priority Ecological Community.

Project Lake Way Sulphate of Potash Project.

SLP Salt Lake Potash Limited.

TEC Threatened Ecological Community.

WA Western Australia.

WAHERB Western Australian Herbarium.

WAM Western Australian Museum, WA Government.

WC Act Wildlife Conservation Act 1950, WA Government.

Lake Way Tecticornia Literature Review/ Gap Analysis

Botanica Consulting 1

1 Introduction

1.1 Project Description

The Lake Way Sulphate of Potash Project (the Project) is a semi-brownfield project to abstract and

treat brines from on-lake trenches and off-lake (paleovalley) bores to produce a sulphate of potash.

Lake Way is located approximately 25 km south of Wiluna, Western Australia. A map of the

proposed on playa Project footprint and playa Development Envelope is provided in Figure 1-1.

Infrastructure associated with the Project includes:

• Evaporation ponds;

• brine abstraction trenches;

• paleochannel production bores;

• permanent brine pumps/pipework;

• access and infrastructure corridors; and

• excess salt disposal areas.

Botanica Consulting (Botanica) was commissioned by Salt Lake Potash Limited to undertake a

literature review/ gap analysis of the existing Tecticornia studies conducted at Lake Way.

1.2 Objectives

The objectives of the literature review/ gap analysis were to:

1. Review existing Tecticornia surveys conducted at Lake Way;

2. Provide a summary of Tecticornia vegetation identified at Lake Way (including extent

and distribution around Lake Way);

3. Provide a summary of significant Tecticornia identified at Lake Way (including

Threatened/ Priority taxa and potentially new taxa);

4. Provide a summary of unknown Tecticornia identified at Lake Way; and

5. Determine if there are knowledge gaps from the previous survey work that may require

additional field surveys.



Figure 1-1: Lake Way Sulphate of Potash Project Layout


Botanica Consulting

3

2 Methodology

2.1 Literature Review

A literature review was undertaken of previous Tecticornia studies conducted at Lake Way for the

Toro Energy Wiluna Uranium Project Public Environmental Review (EPA Assessment 1819 & 2002).

Documents reviewed included:

• Actis, (2012). Tecticornia review: Wiluna uranium project. Unpublished report for Toro Energy

Limited.

• Ecologia Environment, (2016a). Assessment of Tecticornia Communities Associated with

Lake Way and Lake Maitland. Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy Limited.

• Ecologia Environment, (2016b). Flora and Vegetation Consolidation and Conservation

Assessment. Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy Limited.

• Ecologia Environment, (2016c). Cumulative Impact Assessment.

• Niche Environmental Services, (2011). Assessment of the Flora and Vegetation at the Toro

Energy Wiluna Uranium Project: Lake Way, Centipede and Borefield. Report prepared for

Toro Energy Limited.

• Outback Ecology, (2007). Lake Way and Centipede Baseline Vegetation and Flora Survey.

Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy Limited.

• Outback Ecology, (2010a). Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Assessment – June 2010.

Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy Limited.

• Outback Ecology, (2010b). Lake Way, Centipede West Deposit and Haul Road Corridor

Baseline Survey Report – November 2010. Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy

Limited.

2.2 Database Searches

Searches of the following databases were undertaken to identify records of Priority/ Threatened

Tecticornia taxa within a 20km radius of Lake Way:

• DBCA Priority/ Threatened Flora Database Search (DBCA, 2019a)

• DBCA Priority/ Threatened Ecological Communities Database Search (DBCA, 2019b)

• DBCA NatureMap Database (DBCA, 2019);

• DotEE Protected Matters search tool (DotEE, 2019).

The NatureMap and Protected Matters Search were conducted for an area encompassing a 20km

radius of the centre coordinates -26.75194 S 120.20056 E.



3 Results

3.1 Flora

A total of 611 Tecticornia specimens have been collected at Lake Way/ Lake Maitland during

previous flora surveys (Niche 2011 and Ecologia 2016) of which 28 were sterile (represents 4.6% of

the total specimens). From the 611 specimens collected, a total of 29 taxa were identified at Lake

Way (Error! Reference source not found. and Figure 3-1) and 23 taxa were identified at Lake

Maitland. 16 of 29 taxa identified at Lake Way were considered to be significant in accordance with

the EPA Environmental Factor Guideline for Flora and Vegetation (EPA, 2016) including:

• two Priority Flora taxa;

• five new Tecticornia taxa;

• six potentially new Tecticornia taxa; and

• three range extension Tecticornia taxa.

None of the new/ potentially new taxa have been formally listed as Priority Flora or Threatened Flora

under the BC Act. A map showing the location of all significant Tecticornia in relation to the Lake

Way Playa Development Envelope is provided in Figure 3-2.

Table 3-1: Tecticornia previously recorded at Lake Way

Taxon Locality Description No. Plants/ Locations

Common Taxa

Tecticornia calyptrata Common on the minor tributary and floodplains to

the south-west and a small salt pan in the north-east of Lake Way

19 plants (six locations)

Tecticornia disarticulata On a floodplain to the west of the main lake. 20 plants (three locations)

Tecticornia doleiformis On a minor tributary in the south-west and on the main lake bed in the north-east of the Lake Way

3 plants (three locations)

Tecticornia indica subsp. bidens Very common on the fringe of the main salt lake, as

well as the minor tributaries and floodplains. 103 plants (thirty-five

locations)

Tecticornia indica subsp. leiostachya

Common on the fringe of the main salt lake, minor tributaries and floodplains and scattered in a minor

tributary in the north-east. 79 plants (ten locations)

Tecticornia laevigata Very common on the fringe of the main salt lake, as

well as the minor tributaries and floodplains. 42 plants (29 locations)

Tecticornia peltata Common on the fringe of the main salt lake, minor

tributaries and floodplains. 11 plants (eleven

locations)

Tecticornia pergranulata On the floodplains to the south-west of Lake Way. 65 plants (twenty locations)

Tecticornia pruinosa On the floodplains to the south-west and on the

minor tributary running north from Lake Way. 5 plants (one location)

Tecticornia pterygosperma subsp. denticulata

Scattered on the fringe of the main salt lake, minor tributaries and floodplains.

33 plants (six locations)

Tecticornia sp. Burnerbinmah (D. Edinger et al. 101)

Very common on the fringe of the main salt lake, as well as the minor tributaries.

125 plants (twenty-two locations)

Tecticornia sp. Dennys Crossing (K.A. Shepherd & J. English KS

552)

Very common on the fringe of the main salt lake, minor tributaries and floodplains. Scattered on the

main lake bed of the north-east of Lake Way.

483 plants (forty-seven locations)

Tecticornia undulata Recorded on the main lake bed to the south-west of

Lake Way 1 plant (one record)

Priority Taxa

Tecticornia sp. Lake Way (P. Armstrong 05/961) P1

Restricted to small outwash plain connected to the main salt lake.

2000 plants (four locations)

Tecticornia sp. Sunshine Lake (K.A. Shepherd et al. KS 867)

P1 Recorded commonly at Lake Way

116 plants (fourteen locations)



Taxon Locality Description No. Plants/ Locations

New Taxa

Tecticornia aff. halocnemoides s.l. 'large ovate seed aggregate'

Common on the edge of the main salt lake at Lake Way and minor tributary to the south of

Millipede/Centipede.

51 plants (five locations)

Tecticornia sp. aff. Burnerbinmah (inflated fruit)

Recorded along the minor tributary of Lake Way in the south of Millipede

1 plant (one location)

Tecticornia sp. aff. globulifera (small)

Very common on the edge of the main lakebed of Lake Way and minor tributaries.

126 plants (ten locations)

Tecticornia sp. aff. laevigata (non-rotated fruitlets)

Common on the main lakebed of Lake Way and minor tributaries.


Tecticornia sp. aff. undulata (broad articles)

Common on the main lakebed of Lake Way and minor tributaries.

107 plants (twelve locations)

Potential New Taxa

?Tecticornia sp. aff. globulifera (small)

Scattered on the main lakebed of Lake Way. 126 plants (ten locations)

Tecticornia sp. aff. laevigata Common on the Lake Way main lakebed of the

centipede and millipede deposits and on the main tributary that runs north from the Lake Way deposit


Tecticornia sp. aff. pruinosa Very common on the Lake Way main lakebed of the Centipede/Millipede and Lake Way Deposits. Also

recorded on the minor tributaries of both areas.

27 plants (twenty-seven locations)

Tecticornia sp. aff. undulata

Very common on the Lake Way main lakebed of the Centipede/Millipede and Lake Way Deposits. Also recorded on the minor tributaries of the Lake Way

Deposit.

16 plants (sixteen locations)

Tecticornia sp. halocnemoides beaked seed aggregate

Common on the Lake Way main lakebed and the minor tributary running north from the Lake Way

Deposit. 15 plants (fifteen locations)

Tecticornia sp. nov Recorded by Niche (2011). One location in a regional quadrat. No coordinates available

unknown plants (one location)

Range extension

Tecticornia halocnemoides subsp. catenulata

Recorded at eleven locations at the Centipede and Lake Way deposits.

11 plants (eleven locations)

Tecticornia moniliformis Recorded commonly at the Centipede and Lake

Way deposits on the main lakebed and minor tributaries.

11 plants (eleven locations)

Tecticornia tenuis Recorded at three locations from Lake Way on the

floodplain to the south of Millipede. 50 plants (three locations)



Figure 3-1: Tecticornia Specimens at Lake Way



Figure 3-2: Significant Tecticornia at Lake Way



3.1.1 Species Accumulation EstimateS software was used to estimate species richness of Tecticornia present using the Chao2

richness estimator. For any number of samples, the estimator uses the existing pattern of species

accumulation to estimate the true number of species at a site. The estimators tend to under-estimate

species number when sample size is small, hence the estimated number of true species can be seen

to increase with sample size. This software was also used to compute Coleman rarefaction curves

estimates which were used to calculate species accumulation curves.

The Chao 2 richness estimator provided an estimated species richness of 22 species in 200 sample

sites (quadrats). Species richness recorded for the 80 quadrats surveyed was 20 Tecticornia

species. A species accumulation curve was created to display the rate of species accumulation. The

R² value (0.95) suggests that the data “fits” the species accumulation curve shown in Figure 3-3.

Botanica has determined that according to this data a sufficient number of quadrats were established

in the survey area to adequately assess the species richness of Tecticornia at Lake Way.

Figure 3-3: Species accumulation curve

R² = 0.9478

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 90 140 190

Cu

mu

lati

ve N

o. o

f sp

ecie

s

No. of sample sites

Species

Log. (Species)



3.2 Vegetation

Four Tecticornia complexes have been identified during existing flora/ vegetation surveys (Niche

2011 and Ecologia 2016) conducted for the Wiluna Uranium Project (Lake Way, Centipede and

Millipede Deposits) at Lake Way which belong to the Tecticornia spp. sparse low mixed shrubland

vegetation association.

Table 3-2: Summary of Tecticornia complexes at Lake Way

Tecticornia Complex

ID Vegetation Complex Description

Tecticornia spp. sparse low mixed shrubland

T3 Tecticornia sp. Dennys Crossing (K.A. Shepherd & J. English KS 552) (+/-T. indica, T. sp. aff. undulata (broad articles), T. sp. aff globulifera (small) and Tecticornia sp. Sunshine Lake (K.A. Shepherd et al. KS 867)) sparse low shrubland

T4 Tecticornia sp. Burnerbinmah (D. Edinger et al. 101) and Tecticornia sp. aff globulifera (small) (+/-T. indica subsp. leiostachya and Tecticornia aff halocnemoides s.l. 'large ovate seed aggregate') sparse low shrubland

T8 Tecticornia spp. (Tecticornia indica subsp. bidens, Tecticornia sp. aff pruinosa, Tecticornia laevigata, Tecticornia sp. aff. undulata, Tecticornia peltata and Tecticornia sp. (halocnemoides beaked seed aggregate) sparse low shrubland

T9

Acacia victoriae and Melaleuca xerophila scattered tall shrubs, over Lycium australe and Cratystylis subspinescens sparse mid shrubland, over Tecticornia spp. (Tecticornia indica subsp. bidens, Tecticornia sp. aff pruinosa, Tecticornia laevigata, Tecticornia sp. aff. undulata, Tecticornia peltata and Tecticornia sp. (halocnemoides beaked seed aggregate) sparse low shrubland



4 Knowledge Gaps/ Recommendations

The existing Tecticornia surveys, involved intensive sampling of the samphire vegetation at Lake

Way, with twenty-eight 30m X 30m quadrats surveyed by Niche (2011) and eighty 3m X 3m quadrats

(along ten transects) surveyed by Ecologia (2016). Over 95% of the total specimens were fully

identified belonging to twenty-nine taxa at Lake Way, sixteen of which were considered to be

significant (new taxa, potentially new taxa, priority flora and range extensions).

Whilst the existing survey work does not cover the entire extent of samphire vegetation surrounding

Lake Way, the existing survey work has identified a high number of Tecticornia taxa and the species

accumulation curve shows that the accumulation of Tecticornia species will be negligible with

increased sample sites.

Current climatic conditions since Salt Lake Potash commissioned environmental studies for the Lake

Way Project in January 2019 have not been favourable1 and as a result, the vast majority of

Tecticornia spp. are currently sterile and unable to be sampled/ identified. This has impeded the

ability to conduct additional targeted surveys of Tecticornia at Lake Way.

Given that a number of significant Tecticornia are already known to occur within the samphire

vegetation fringing Lake Way and there is minimal proposed direct clearing/ impacts to samphire

vegetation (no more than 50 ha), it is recommended that locations of any sterile taxa/ areas of other

samphire vegetation not previously assessed are considered as potential supporting habitat for

significant Tecticornia. Efforts and resources are recommended to be directed towards assessing

and managing potential indirect impacts of the Project on all samphire vegetation and

implementation of the Lake Way Environmental Monitoring and Management Plan 2019 rather than

conducting additional targeted surveys which in the current climatic conditions are unlikely to yield

any results.

1 Wiluna weather station (#13012) has recorded only 80mm of rain received from Jan-Jul 2019 compared to mean rainfall of 205mm over this period (BoM, 2019)



5 Bibliography

Actis, (2012). Tecticornia review: Wiluna uranium project. Unpublished report for Toro Energy

Limited.

Animal Plant Mineral (2015a), Vegetation Clearing Permit Application, Matilda Gold Project, Support

Information for Matilda Mine Site Native Vegetation Clearing (Purpose) Permit Application, October

2015.

Animal Plant Mineral (2015b), Level One Biological Survey, Matilda Gold Project, Murchison

Western Australia, November 2015. Prepared for Blackham Resources Limited.

ASRIS (2014), Atlas of Australian Soils Database. Australian Soil Resource Information System Australian Government (2018), National Map. Australian Government.

Bennett Environmental Consulting. (2002). Vegetation of areas impacted by construction of a

causeway for exploration drilling at Lake Way Wiluna Gold. Unpublished report.

Botanica (2018), Reconnaissance Flora/Vegetation & Fauna Survey Lake Way Project Processing

Facility and Pond. Unpublished report prepared for Salt Lake Potash Limited.

Botanica (2019), Reconnaissance Flora & Vegetation Assessment Lake Way SOP Demonstration

Plant Project. Unpublished report prepared for Salt Lake Potash Limited

Beard, J.S., (1990), Plant Life of Western Australia, Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd, NSW.

Bennett Environmental Consulting. (2002). Vegetation of areas impacted by construction of a

causeway for exploration drilling at Lake Way Wiluna Gold. Unpublished report.

Blackwell, M. J. and Trudgen, M. E. (1980). Report on the Flora and Vegetation of the Lake Way

Joint Venture Uranium Development envelope: together with an assessment of the impact of this

project upon the landscape, flora and vegetation of this area and its regeneration potential.

Cowan, (2001), A Biodiversity Audit of Western Australia’s 53 Biogeographical Region in 2001- Murchison Region (MUR1-Eastern Murchison), Department of Conservation and Land Management.

Curry, P.J., Payne, A.L., Leighton, K.A., Hennig, P. and Blood, D.A. (1994) Technical Bulletin: An inventory and condition survey of the Murchison River catchment, Western Australia (No. 84). Department of Agriculture WA.

DBCA (2019), Nature Map Database search, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Available: https://naturemap.dpaw.wa.gov.au/ Accessed: 22nd April 2019 DBCA (2019a), Threatened Flora Database search results, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Results obtained January 2019. DBCA (2019b), Threatened Flora Database search results, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Results obtained January 2019.

DotEE, (2012), Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7, Department of the Environment and Energy.

DotEE (2019), Protected Matters Search Tool, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Department of the Environment and Energy Available: http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/protected-matters-search-tool Accessed: 22nd April 2019

https://naturemap.dpaw.wa.gov.au/

http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/protected-matters-search-tool



Ecologia Environment, (2016a). ‘Assessment of Tecticornia Communities Associated with Lake Way and Lake Maitland’. Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy Limited. Ecologia Environment, (2016b). Flora and Vegetation Consolidation and Conservation Assessment. Ecologia Environment, (2016c). Cumulative Impact Assessment.

EPA, (2016a), Technical Guidance - Flora and Vegetation Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment – December 2016. Environmental Protection Authority

Niche Environmental Services, (2011). ‘Assessment of the Flora and Vegetation at the Toro Energy Wiluna Uranium Project: Lake Way, Centipede and Borefield’. Report prepared for Toro Energy Limited, February 2011.

Niche Environmental Services, (2014). Assessment of the flora and vegetation at the Toro Energy Wiluna Uranium Project: Millipede Development envelope. Unpublished Report for Toro Energy. Outback Ecology, (2007). Lake Way and Centipede Baseline Vegetation and Flora Survey. Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy Limited. Outback Ecology, 2010a. Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Assessment – June 2010. Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy Limited. Outback Ecology, (2010b). Lake Way, Centipede West Deposit and Haul Road Corridor baseline Survey Report – November 2010. Unpublished report prepared for Toro Energy Limited. WAHERB, (2019), Florabase – Information on the Western Australian Flora, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Available: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/ Accessed 22nd April 2019

https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/