RIVERS, FLOODPLAINS AND ESTUARIES

PRIORITY WR1

Priority rivers in agricultural landscapes

There are 21 major river catchments in the region. They are generally steep and while all have conservation value, those flowing westward are relatively less disturbed than the northward flowing catchments which have been developed for agriculture, industrial and urban uses. These rivers experience pressures associated with point-source and diffuse pollution, thereby impacting ecosystem health, including water quality.

Through Catchment Management Planning, an improved understanding of catchment condition and hydrology trends can be established and adoption of improved land management practices (such as nutrient management, riparian fencing and restoration, smart irrigation technologies, and crop rotations) can lead to improvement in catchment and river health, as well as providing economic savings.

outcome

By 2030, all high priority rivers in agricultural landscapes in the Cradle Coast have Catchment Management Plans or Water Quality Improvement Plans (WQIPs), and a strategic program for improving river health (biological communities, instream and riparian habitats, water quality) has been implemented.

threats

Local threats that can be addressed by NRM actions:

  • Poor water quality and river health
  • Biodiversity and habitat loss
  • Flooding and impacts of extreme weather

Actions

WR1.a

Implement WQIP actions to improve dairy effluent and riparian zone management on Circular Head farms (Duck, Montagu, Welcome catchments) to protect river system values and mitigate downstream impacts (Duck Estuary and Robbins Passage-Boullanger Bay).

Implement WQIP actions to improve agricultural best management practices and improve river health in the Mersey catchment and connected waterways (Mersey and Don Rivers and their tributaries).

Improve land and industry management practices in priority catchments – Rubicon, Forth-Wilmot, Blythe, Leven and Detention – to protect river system values and mitigate downstream impacts.

Improve agricultural best management practices in the Sea Elephant catchment to protect river system values and mitigate downstream impacts (Sea Elephant estuary, part of Lavinia Ramsar site).

Improve long-term river health outcomes in priority rivers in all agricultural landscapes through catchment management planning and river health monitoring and flow studies.

implementation

Investment Opportunity

  • Australian Government
  • Tasmanian Government
  • Regional or Local
  • Private or philanthropic

  • Information gathering activities including a foundational spatial review to prioritise catchments.
  • Policy and planning activities such as participating in state-wide healthy waterways planning and collaborating with government authorities on river health improvement programs. Undertaking WQIPs and catchment management plans.
  • On-ground works including trials, demonstrations, and grants for fencing, nutrient management, and riparian restoration.
  • Behaviour-change and capacity-building activities such as BMP education and support, and river health extension to landholders.

Landholders; industry bodies; agri-service providers; processors; State and Australian Government; research institutions; not-for-profit organisations (e.g. OzFish).

Engagement with landholders including through the development of extension and education materials and website resources.; field days and public events; on-farm customised support.