CONTENTS - Volume One

The Health Strategy is comprised of Volume 1 and Volume 2. Volume 1 contains the background, methods and summary of 8 management themes and Volume 2 contains Appendices with more detailed descriptions of values, threats and management actions for key waterways of the Hawkesbury Nepean catchment.

Minister’s Foreword v Chair’s Foreword vii Executive Summary viii List of Figures xii List of Tables xii

PPartart 1 BBackgroundackground andand ContextContext 1 1.1 The Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment 7 1.2 of the Hawkesbury Nepean 7 1.2.1 Condition of the Hawkesbury Nepean rivers 8 1.3 What is River Health 10 1.3.1 Ecological concepts 10 1.3.2 The vision for the rivers of the Hawkesbury Nepean 11 1.3.3 Managing for river health 12 1.3.4 The role of the Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Authority 15 1.4 River Health Strategy Development 16 1.4.1 Methods 16 1.4.2 Applying the standard for quality natural resource management 25

PPartart 2 A strategystrategy forfor riverriver hhealthealth 27 2.1 Principles for management 27 2.2 Objectives for management 28 2.3 Themes for management action 30 2.4 Theme One: Improving the management of riparian lands 31 2.4.1 Introduction 31 2.4.2 River reaches 31 2.4.3 CMA actions and priorities 39 2.4.4 Link to targets 41 2.5 Theme Two: Management of severe immediate threats & severe downstream impacts 42 2.5.1 Introduction 42 2.5.2 River reaches 43 2.5.3 CMA actions and priorities 43 2.5.4 Link to targets 47

x HAWKESBURY NEPEAN CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY 2.6 Theme Three: Management of wetlands 48 2.6.1 Introduction 48 2.6.2 River reaches 48 2.6.3 CMA actions and priorities 51 2.6.4 Link to targets 52 2.7 Theme Four: Management of aquatic habitat condition and connectivity 53 2.7.1 Introduction 53 2.7.2 River reaches 53 2.7.3 CMA actions and priorities 54 2.7.4 Link to targets 56 2.8 Theme Five: Management of aquatic weeds 57 2.8.1 Introduction 57 2.8.2 River reaches 58 2.8.3 CMA actions and priorities 58 2.8.4 Link to targets 59 2.9 Theme Six: Management of public recreation sites on riverbanks 61 2.9.1 Introduction 61 2.9.2 River reaches 61 2.9.3 CMA actions and priorities 63 2.9.4 Link to targets 64 2.10 Theme Seven: Supporting the community to take action 65 2.10.1 Introduction 65 2.10.2 River Reaches 66 2.10.3 CMA actions and priorities 66 2.10.4 Link to targets 67 2.11 Theme Eight: Management of habitat for fl agship species 69 2.11.1 Introduction 69 2.11.2 River reaches 71 2.11.3 CMA actions and priorities 71 2.11.4 Link to targets 71 2.12 A Special Case: The Cataract River 72

PPartart 3 IImplementationmplementation 7744 3.1 Scales of implementation 74 3.2 Nepean subcatchment case study 76

RReferenceseferences aandnd AAcronymscronyms 78

HAWKESBURY HEALTH STRATEGY xi LListist ofof TTablesables

Table 1 Values and threats assessed in the Hawkesbury Nepean River Health Strategy 21 Table 2 Key Datasets and Information Sources for Environmental Asset and Threat Data 22 Table 3 River Health Strategy management themes and Catchment Action Plan targets 30 Table 4 Reach condition and riparian land management categories 32 Table 5 Management actions for riparian lands 40 Table 6 Severe immediate threat and severe downstream impact reaches-CMA action 43 Table 7 Severe immediate threat and severe downstream impact reaches for action by other agencies and organisations 46 Table 8 Important wetlands of the Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment 50 Table 9 Management actions for wetlands 51 Table 10 Management actions to improve aquatic habitat condition and connectivity 54 Table 11 Management actions for the control of aquatic weeds 58 Table 12 Actions for better management of public recreation sites on riverbanks 63 Table 13 Management actions to maintain and increase community capacity 66 Table 14 Pre- and post - bed cracking ratings for the Cataract River 73

LListist ofof FFiguresigures

Figure 1 Guide to the River Health Strategy 5 Figure 2 The Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment 6 Figure 3 Diagrammatic representation of the relationship of the River Health Strategy to government water planning processes 13 Figure 4 Phases in the development of the River Health Strategy 16 Figure 5 River reaches assessed in the River Health Strategy 18 Figure 6 Hawkesbury Nepean subcatchments 19 Figure 7 Level of assessment of river reaches 24 Figure 8 Composite reach condition of river reaches 34 Figure 9 Riparian lands management categories 35 Figure 10 River reaches with identifi ed severe immediate threats 44 Figure 11 River reaches identifi ed as having a severe downstream impact 45 Figure 12 Important wetlands and association within river reaches 49 Figure 13 Aquatic habitat connectivity on River Health Strategy reaches 55 Figure 14 Aquatic weed presence and severity of occurrence on river reaches 60 Figure 15 Public recreation riverbank sites on river reaches 62 Figure 16 Community environment activity in riparian lands 68 Figure 17 Flagship species associated with river reaches 70

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PPartart 4 AAppendicesppendices

Appendix 4.1 Reaches in riparian lands management categories 1 Appendix 4.2 Subcatchment summaries and reach management actions 7 • Sub-catchment • Sub Catchment • Sub-catchment • Cattai Creek Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment • / Sub-catchment • Erskine/Sassafras Creek Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment (freshwater) • Hawkesbury River Estuary Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment • Lower Sub-catchment • Macdonald River Sub-catchment • Mangrove Creek Sub-catchment • Mid Coxs River Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment • Nepean River Sub-catchment • South Creek Sub-catchment • Upper Coxs River Sub-catchment • Upper Nepean River Sub-catchment • Upper Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment • Werriberri Creek Sub-catchment • • Sub-catchment • Sub-catchment • Wollondilly River Sub-catchment

Appendix 4.3 Summary and maps of rapid reach assessment of values and threats 103 Appendix 4.4 Rapid reach assessment tools 129 Appendix 4.5 Flagship species associated with river reaches 139

HAWKESBURY NEPEAN RIVER HEALTH STRATEGY xiii LListist ofof TTablesables

Table A1 Focus on conservation river reaches 1 Table A2 Focus on assisted regeneration river reaches 3 Table A3 Focus on revegetation river reaches 4 Table A4 Rapid reach assessment tool- asset and threat rating scales 130 Table A5 Rapid reach assessment tool - river reach rating sheet 136 Table A6. Flagship species associated with river reaches. 139

LListist ofof FFiguresigures

Figure A1 Composite Reach Condition of River Reaches 5 Figure A2 Riparian Vegetation 109 Figure A3 River Condition 110 Figure A4 Geomorphic Recovery Potential 111 Figure A5 Sites of Environmental Signifi cance 112 Figure A6 Signifi cant Vegetaion Community 113 Figure A7 Swimming 114 Figure A8 Recreational Fishing 115 Figure A9 Non-Motor Boating 116 Figure A10 Motor Boating / Skiing 117 Figure A11 Scenic Quality 118 Figure A12 Irrigation Water Supply 119 Figure A13 Commercial Fishing 120 Figure A14 Tourism 121 Figure A15 Landuse 122 Figure A16 Damaging Access to Riparian Zones 123 Figure A17 Exotic Plant Species Riparian Woody Weeds 124 Figure A18 Pest Animals 125 Figure A19 Flow Regulation 126 Figure A20 Flow Modifi cation / Extraction 127

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