HAWKESBURY NEPEAN RIVER HEALTH STRATEGY weed zones. invasion existsintheriparian zones.along theriparian woody although heavy habitat corridors The watercourses form important extremely however,the catchment’s remnants low; ofendangered streams vegetation important there isvery are somevery areasurban andagricultural runoff A numberofmajorSewerage Treatment Plants discharge into Creek South andthese, alongwithstormwater from which hasgreatly altered andecologyofthewatercourses. thegeomorphology inthecatchment are causingchangesto hydrology surfaces impervious increasing Increasing urbanisation. Hydrological andsedimentregimes have beendramaticallyaltered dueto catchment vegetation clearanceand Nepean. South Creek themostdegraded subcatchment subcatchment isperhaps in theHawkesbury Nepeancatchment. PlainCumberland intheHawkesbury “meandering vertical” streams, river channeltypes which are undergreat threat astheyare confi nedlargely to the catchment withnogorges orsandstone dominatedis ashale-based landscapes. ofthestreams areThe majority The SouthCreek subcatchment Plain encompasses mostoftheCumberland of Western Sydney. The catchment , contribute to ofthestreams., contribute thepoorwater quality potential of The recovery

South Creek Subcatchment

69 Appendix 4.2 Subcatchment summaries South Creek management (I,W)ow management (I) ow management (I) ow practices in riparian lands (E) (E,W)points and along foreshores (E) restoration practices in riparian lands (E) (E,W)points and along foreshores (P,W) (E,P) (P,W) (E) restoration (Planning, Education, Works, Monitoring, Institutional) Monitoring, Works, Education, (Planning, • (W) with indigenous riparian vegetation Revegetation • Management of aquatic weeds • Management impact of stock on waterways (W) • adoption of sustainable land management Encourage • access river Manage human impacts at public recreation • (W) riparian vegetation of exotic Removal/replacement • environmental Increase community capacity for • quantity / fl Water • quality / nutrient management (I) Water • (W) with indigenous riparian vegetation Revegetation • (W) riparian vegetation of exotic Removal/replacement • (W) riparian vegetation of exotic Removal/replacement • management Riparian wetland • Management of aquatic weeds • Management impact of stock on waterways (W) • adoption of sustainable land management Encourage • access river Manage human impacts at public recreation • and connectivity habitat condition improvement Aquatic • quantity / fl Water • quality / nutrient management (I) Water • activity Maintain existing community based environment • Management of aquatic weeds • and connectivity habitat condition improvement Aquatic • quantity Urban water and fl • quality Urban water and sediment management (I,W) • environmental Increase community capacity for channel (local stormwater ed / engineered channel ed / engineered channel ed / engineered Hyacinth) works) quality) Hyacinth) at public sites) human access damaging Vertical) weeds) sediments) • Modifi • Modifi • invasion High weed woody • Water (Salvinia and outbreaks weed Aquatic • extraction functioning ecosystem Barriers to • Flow quality • Water Triggers Action • impact quality – water downstream Severe • outbreaks weed Aquatic • extraction (humans and stock) access Damaging • Flow quality • Water Triggers Action • impact water (weeds; downstream Severe • Modifi • Privet) Olive, (African invasion Highweed woody • Water (Salvinia, outbreaks weed Aquatic • land and on private (stock access Damaging • extraction functioning ecosystem Barriers to • Flow quality • Water Triggers Action • category river (Meandering Rare or threatened • impacts quality (water downstream and Severe • in bed (contaminants threat immediate Severe ) shing agship species agship ed fl ed community cant vegetation community cant vegetation supply cant irrigation water cant community based (McGrathscance Hill Eucalyptus beaureana Eucalyptus (Cumberland Shale Hills Woodland) Shale Hills (Cumberland discontinuous) signifi Wetlands) (Meandering Vertical) Shale Plains (Cumberland Flat River Cumberland Woodland; Shale-Gravel Castlereagh Forest; Forest) Transition ( Park) Regional (Sydney environment activity environment Reach ValuesReach Threats Reach recommendations Reach management • (but cover Good riparian vegetation • or state of regional Wetland • category river Rare or threatened • Signifi • fi recreational Popular • Identifi • Signifi • Signifi Revegetation • Signifi Riparian Land Management Category Assisted Assisted Regeneration Revegetation • access High public recreation ll ll section to uence with uence ned section ned and fi confl Hawkesbury River at Windsor College to end to College of cut and fi section Regional Park to to Park Regional confi Description South R1 St Gregorys South R2 end of cut From Reach Name Reach Eastern R1Eastern from Headwater Reach Management Recommendations – South Creek Subcatchment – South Creek Recommendations Reach Management

70 70 HAWKESBURY NEPEAN CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY HAWKESBURY NEPEAN RIVER HEALTH STRATEGY Reach Management Recommendations – South Creek Subcatchment

Reach Name Reach Riparian Land Reach Values Reach Threats Reach management recommendations Description Management (Planning, Education, Works, Monitoring, Institutional) Category

Eastern R2 Concrete lined Revegetation • Fully engineered channel – concrete lined • Revegetation with indigenous riparian vegetation (W) channel • Aquatic weed outbreaks (Salvinia; Water • Management of aquatic weeds Hyacinth) • Flow extraction • Water quality • Urbanisation • Lack of community based environment activity

Action Triggers • Severe downstream impacts – water quality; fl ow alteration through concrete section

Eastern R3 From concrete Assisted • Good riparian vegetation cover • Modifi ed / engineered channel • Riparian wetland management lined section to Regeneration • Wetland of local signifi cance • High woody weed invasion • Removal/replacement of exotic riparian vegetation (W) confl uence with • Rare or threatened river category • Aquatic weed outbreaks (Salvinia, Water • Management of aquatic weeds South Creek (Meandering Vertical) Hyacinth) • Management of stock impact on waterways (W) • Signifi cant vegetation community • Damaging access (stock mainly with some • Encourage adoption of sustainable land management (Cumberland Shale Plains Woodland; human access damage on public land) practices in riparian lands (E) Cumberland River Flat Forest) • Barriers to ecosystem functioning (weirs) • Manage human impacts at public recreation river access • High public recreation access • Flow extraction points and along foreshores (E,W) • Signifi cant irrigation water supply • Water quality • Aquatic habitat condition and connectivity improvement • Some community based • Future urban development will further disrupt (P,W) environment activity natural hydrology • Urban water quantity / fl ow management (I) • Water quality / nutrient management (I) Action Triggers • Increase community capacity for environmental • Rare or threatened river category (Meandering restoration (E) Vertical) • Severe downstream impacts (weeds, water quality)

Ropes R1 Headwaters from Revegetation • High woody weed invasion • Revegetation with indigenous riparian vegetation (W) Cecil Park on • Modifi ed / engineered channel (stormwater • Removal/replacement of exotic riparian vegetation (W) Elizabeth Drive to structures) • Management of aquatic weeds confi ned section • Aquatic weed outbreaks (Salvinia; Water • Manage human impacts at public recreation river access Hyacinth) points and along foreshores (E,W) • Damaging access (human access points) • Aquatic habitat condition and connectivity improvement • Barriers to ecosystem functioning (P,W) • Flow extraction • Urban water quantity and fl ow management (I) • Water quality • Urban water quality and sediment management (I,W) • Lack of community based environment activity • Increase community capacity for environmental restoration (E) Action Triggers • Severe downstream impacts – water quality; weeds.

71 Appendix 4.2 Subcatchment summaries South Creek management (I) ow management (I) ow restoration (E) restoration restoration (E) restoration (E,W)points and along foreshores (P,W) • Management of aquatic weeds • quantity / fl Water • quality / nutrient management (I) Water • environmental Increase community capacity for • (W) riparian vegetation of exotic Removal/replacement • environmental Increase community capacity for • (I,W) Management of aquatic weeds • access river Manage human impacts at public recreation • and connectivity habitat condition improvement Aquatic • quantity Urban water and fl • quality Urban water / nutrient management (I,W) • (W) with indigenous riparian vegetation Revegetation • Management of aquatic weeds (Planning, Education, Works, Monitoring, Institutional) Monitoring, Works, Education, (Planning, ned channel (bank confi ed / engineered channel ed / engineered section) Hyacinth) Hyacinth) and walking tracks) nutrient and sediment input) Vertical) quality) sediments) Hyacinth) • Water (Salvinia, outbreaks weed Aquatic extraction • Flow quality • Water • Modifi • Modifi • (Privet) invasion Highweed woody • Water (Salvinia; outbreaks weed Aquatic • 4WD (Humans – bike tracks, access Damaging • functioning ecosystem Barriers to extraction • Flow quality • Water • and Urban land use impacts (changed hydrology Triggers Action • category river (Meandering Rare or threatened • impact and water (weeds downstream Severe • bed (polluted threat immediate Severe • Water (Salvinia; outbreaks weed Aquatic extraction • Flow quality • Water Triggers Action • impacts quality – water downstream Severe Grevillia Grevillia ) Species ( ed Flagship community cant vegetation community cant vegetation (Castlereagh Shale-Gravel Transition Transition Shale-Gravel (Castlereagh Forest) junipera activity environment (Meandering Vertical) Shale Plains (Cumberland Flat River Cumberland Woodland; Shale – Gravel Castlereagh Forest; Forest) Transition • cover Good riparian vegetation • Signifi • Some community based • Good riparian vegetation • category river Rare or threatened • Signifi • Identifi Reach ValuesReach Threats Reach recommendations Reach management Assisted Assisted Regeneration Assisted Assisted Regeneration Revegetation • lined channel – concrete engineered Fully Riparian Land Management Category ned 2.5km section startfrom of the to ADI site junction with South Creek pipeline crossing pipeline crossing startto of former just ADI site junction above with South Creek channel from channel from Rd Lincoln the to crossing Water Sydeny supply pipeline Description Creeks of Community Concern: Blaxland Creek Concern: of Community Creeks Ropes R4 Bank confi Ropes R3 water Sydney Ropes R2 lined Concrete Reach Name Reach Reach Management Recommendations – South Creek Subcatchment – South Creek Recommendations Reach Management

72 72 HAWKESBURY NEPEAN CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY