The interactive graphic below shows a typical hydrograph for south-west rivers (wet winters and dry summers). It identifies the critical ecology-flow relationships – such as the importance of peak winter flows to flush sediment and nutrients through rivers, or to connect habitats along a river and with the floodplain.

When environmental water planners assess risk of certain applications to take water, they are considering how this will affect each of these ecological end-points. This is a complex process as it needs to consider difference between and within systems, for example, other changes that may be occurring in a catchment due to land uses or climate.

Identifying aquatic animals and understanding status of habitat quality and connectivity (information provided through the Healthy Rivers' assessments) is critical to underpin this process.