PEV's Macquarie River & South
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DEPARTMENT of PRIMARY INDUSTRIES, WATER and ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT GOALS for TASMANIAN SURFACE WATERS MACQUARIE RIVER & SOUTH ESK RIVER CATCHMENTS May 2000 Environmental Management Goals for Tasmanian Surface Waters: Macquarie River and South Esk River Catchments. This discussion paper was used as the basis for community and stakeholder participation in the process of developing environmental management objectives for the waterways that are located within the Macquarie River and South Esk River Catchments *. It has been prepared by the Division of Environment and Planning, the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Land and Water Management Branch, of the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment; Northern Midlands, Break O’Day and Central Highlands Councils. Words and expressions used in this discussion paper have, unless the contrary intention appears, the same meaning as defined in the State Policy on Water Quality Management 1997 and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994. Ecosystem refers to physical, chemical and biological aspects of the aquatic environment. * Catchment areas not covered in this paper are the Macquarie River catchment downstream of the Macquarie River junction with Brumbys Creek; areas of the upper Macquarie catchment within the Southern Midlands Municipality; and the South Esk River catchment below the South Esk River junction with the Macquarie River. For further information on these areas refer to the Public Discussion Papers: Proposed Environmental Management Goals for Tasmanian Surface Waters - Great Lake & Brumbys Creek Catchments, Lower Macquarie and South Esk Rivers and Proposed Environmental Management Goals for Tasmanian Surface Waters – Southern Midlands Catchments. 1 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................5 1.1 WHY DO WE NEED WATER REFORM?.........................................................................5 1.2 WHAT ARE THESE REFORMS?...................................................................................5 1.3 WHAT WILL COMMUNITY INPUT ACHIEVE?.................................................................6 1.4 WHAT INFORMATION DID WE RECEIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY?..................................6 1.5 HOW WILL YOUR INPUT BE USED?............................................................................6 2 MACQUARIE RIVER CATCHMENT OVERVIEW..........................................................8 2.1 CATCHMENT DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................8 2.2 WATER USAGE .......................................................................................................9 2.3 WATER QUALITY....................................................................................................10 2.4 AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS .........................................................................................12 2.5 CATCHMENT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ....................................................................12 3 SOUTH ESK RIVER CATCHMENT OVERVIEW........................................................13 3.1 CATCHMENT DESCRIPTION .....................................................................................13 3.2 WATER USAGE .....................................................................................................14 3.3 WATER QUALITY....................................................................................................15 3.4 AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS ........................................................................................16 3.5 CATCHMENT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ....................................................................17 4 WATER QUALITY: PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES.................................19 4.1 SETTING PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES.....................................................19 4.2 PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES CATEGORIES...............................................19 5 PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES FOR THE MACQUARIE RIVER & SOUTH ESK RIVER CATCHMENTS..............................................................................................21 5.1 PEV SETTING PROCESS........................................................................................21 6 WATER QUANTITY VALUES FOR THE MACQUARIE RIVER & SOUTH ESK RIVER 31 6.1 OVERVIEW............................................................................................................31 6.2 WATER QUANTITY VALUES .....................................................................................31 7 COMMUNITY WATER VALUES................................................................................33 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Why do we need water reform? 1.2 What are these reforms? A good supply of fresh, clean water is Two major aspects of the water reforms an essential requirement for human life, are water quality management and water a healthy environment and a productive quantity management. economy. (a) water quality management We need it for drinking, for recreational activities like fishing, swimming and The State Policy on Water Quality boating, to provide the food we eat and Management 1997 is designed to export, to generate clean electricity, and maintain or enhance the quality of to support mining and other industries. Tasmanian surface waters. Principal objectives of the Policy include: We also expect our rivers and lakes to look healthy, and provide a healthy · Move on from reliance on ‘end of environment for a wide range of aquatic pipe’ controls to take into plants and animals. consideration the number of discharges into a given water body, We take for granted that our use of or the sensitivity or current water resources is sustainable; that our condition of the water body. hard-working water will still be there in a healthy state to provide the same · Ensure that diffuse source and point benefits for future generations. source pollution does not endanger the achievement of water quality Tasmanian rivers range from relatively objectives and that pollutants short, swiftly flowing rivers fed from discharged to waterways are reduced mountain sources to slowly flowing as much as possible using rivers which may be reduced to a series environmental best practice. of pools during dry periods. Our waterways are not immune from · Facilitate and promote integrated problems, however, and many of our catchment management. river systems are showing signs of stress. · Focusing on overall water quality management strategies by River health, and the health of the identifying those water quality economies that depend upon them, is values and uses which are clearly linked to the way we use the considered worthy of protection. waters; the degree of regulation we impose; the quantity of water we take The first purpose of this discussion out; and the quality of water we return. paper was to explain the Policy and how the environmental values will be In response to a general recognition identified and used. Local communities across the community of the importance have a key role in identifying these of having clean water and appropriate values in their areas. river flows, the Tasmanian Government is currently finalising a range of reforms (b) water quantity management designed to ensure that these values are protected for the future of the State. The recent introduction of the Water § What uses or values do you have for Management Act 1999 to replace the surface waters in this area that rely Water Act 1957 provides for: upon maintaining or enhancing water quality? · major changes to the institutional § Which of your activities rely upon arrangements for water management; maintaining or enhancing the flow of · the ready transfer of water rights water into catchment waterways? between different users; § Are there certain places on your rivers that you traditionally use for · enhanced stakeholder and community swimming or other recreational input into water allocation and activities? management; and § Do you fish in them? · a more transparent and equitable § Are there specific features of your water allocation system, including rivers and streams that are formal allocation of flows to maintain recognized scenic attractions, such a healthy river environment. as rapids or waterfalls? The second purpose of this discussion § Do you use water for livestock paper was to encourage community watering? involvement in ensuring sustainable use § Do you know of rare or endangered of our water resources by identifying animals or plants in, or adjacent to, water quantity values for selected specific areas of your rivers or catchments. These values will of streams? assistance to the Department in § Does your river supply the local undertaking water quantity planning in town water supply? your catchment. § Do you draw water from it to 1.3 What will community input irrigate your farm? achieve? Answers to these questions were recorded as ‘Community Water Values’ The objective is to identify water and are summarised in Section 7. management goals for the catchments within your region. These water Planning to ensure sustainable use of management goals will include Protected these waters and protection of river Environmental Values (PEVs) as defined health requires sound knowledge of local under the State Policy on Water Quality water quality and quantity issues. Management and identified water Community input to this process is quantity values. important. Many of the community water values