| Watervalley Wetlands | |
| Location: | Murray and Mallee & Limestone Coast regions South Australia[1] |
| Coordinates: | -36.4667°N 140.1833°W |
| Basin Countries: | Australia |
| Agency: | Wetlands and Wildlife Trust South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board |
| Designation: | Nationally important wetland |
| Elevation: | 15to |
| Pushpin Map: | Australia South Australia |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | A map of South Australia with a mark showing the location of Watervalley Wetlands |
| Reference: | [2] |
The Watervalley Wetlands is a nationally important wetland system located in the Australian state of South Australia which consists of a series of contiguous wetlands, lying on of private land[2] between the Coorong National Park and Gum Lagoon Conservation Park, in the state's south-east.[1]
The wetlands comprise Mandina Marshes, Mandina Lake, Cortina Lakes, Mrs Whites Lagoon, Caora and South Flagstaff, which form a chain between relict dune systems inland of the Coorong, about 250 km south-east of Adelaide. The water in the wetlands ranges from fresh to saline according to seasonal conditions. The area has a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers, and with an average annual rainfall of 450–500 mm. Most of the land is owned by Wetlands & Wildlife, a private conservation and land rehabilitation company, with the remainder expected to become the property of the company in due course.[3]
The site has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports over 1% of the world populations of sharp-tailed sandpipers, and sometimes of blue-billed and musk ducks, when water levels are suitable. It also provides habitat for diamond firetails.[4] Other birds of conservation significance present at the wetlands include black-backed and Australasian bitterns, freckled ducks, Australasian shovellers, white-bellied sea-eagles, peregrine falcons, Latham's snipes, Baillon's and spotless crakes, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, southern emu-wrens, chestnut-rumped heathwrens, diamond and beautiful firetails, and black-chinned honeyeaters. The wetlands also support large breeding colonies of several thousand ibises, egrets, spoonbills and cormorants.[3]
The Ramsa site Coorong has been a special site to many species of bird. It has also been a special site for many plants. In particular, one type of plant which has been found to be the main source of food for the birds is Ruppia tuberosa (.[5] The draining and activities made by the European settlers during the colonial days has caused a great impact to the lives of this particular plant along with other aquatic plants that provides a stock for the birds.
The site is home to red-necked wallabies and common wombats at the extreme western limit of their range. Rosenberg's goannas are present. Growling grass frogs and Yarra pygmy perch have been recorded.[3]