Lake Buffalo Land and On-Water Management Plan 2014
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Lake Buffalo Land and On-Water Management Plan 2014 Lake Buffalo Land and On-Water Management Plan 2014 1 CONTENTS Executive Summary 5 3.5 Camping 14 1. Plan Objectives and Context 6 3.5.1 Key Issues 14 3.5.2 Objectives 14 1.1 Objectives of this Plan 6 3.5.3 Actions 14 1.2 Plan Context 6 3.5.4 Stakeholders 14 2. Plan Implementation and Raising Awareness 7 3.6 Emergency Management and Safety 14 3.6.1 Key Issues 15 2.1 Lake Buffalo Plan Implementation Group 8 3.6.2 Objectives 15 2.1.1 Key Issues 8 3.6.3 Actions 15 2.1.2 Objectives 8 3.6.4 Stakeholders 15 2.1.3 Actions 8 3.7 Tourism and Economic Development 16 2.1.4 Stakeholders 8 3.7.1 Key Issues 16 2.2 Community Education and Awareness 8 3.7.2 Objectives 16 2.2.1 Key Issues 8 3.7.3 Actions 16 2.2.2 Objectives 8 3.7.4 Stakeholders 16 2.2.3 Actions 9 3.8 References 16 2.2.4 Stakeholders 9 4. Environment and Cultural Heritage 17 2.3 References 9 4.1 Flora and Fauna 17 3. Recreation and Tourism 11 4.1.1 Key Issues 18 4.1.2 Objectives 18 3.1 Boating 11 4.1.3 Actions 18 3.1.1 Key Issues 12 4.1.4 Stakeholders 18 3.1.2 Objectives 12 3.1.3 Actions 12 4.2 Invasive Species 18 3.1.4 Stakeholders 12 4.2.1 Key Issues 18 4.2.2 Objectives 18 3.2 Fishing 12 4.2.3 Actions 18 3.2.1 Key Issues 12 4.2.4 Stakeholders 18 3.2.2 Objectives 12 3.2.3 Actions 12 4.3 Water Quality 18 3.2.4 Stakeholders 12 4.3.1 Key Issues 19 4.3.2 Objectives 19 3.3 Hunting 13 4.3.3 Actions 20 3.3.1 Key Issues 13 4.3.4 Stakeholders 20 3.3.2 Objectives 13 3.3.3 Actions 13 4.4 Cultural Heritage 20 3.3.4 Stakeholders 13 4.4.1 Key Issues 20 4.4.2 Objectives 20 3.4 Public Facilities and Infrastructure 13 4.4.3 Actions 20 3.4.1 Key Issues 14 4.4.4 Stakeholders 20 3.4.2 Objectives 14 3.4.3 Actions 14 4.5 References 20 3.3.4 Stakeholders 14 2 Lake Buffalo Land and On-Water Management Plan 2014 5. Public Land Management 21 5.1 Land Tenure 21 5.1.1 Key Issues 21 5.1.2 Objectives 21 5.1.3 Actions 22 5.1.4 Stakeholders 22 5.2 Agriculture Land Use and Grazing 22 5.2.1 Key Issues 22 5.2.2 Objectives 22 5.2.3 Actions 22 5.2.4 Stakeholders 22 5.3 Permits, Licences and Lease Arrangements 22 5.3.1 Key Issues 23 5.3.2 Objectives 23 5.3.3 Actions 23 5.3.4 Stakeholders 23 5.4 Fire Management 23 5.4.1 Key Issues 23 5.4.2 Objectives 24 5.4.3 Actions 24 5.4.4 Stakeholders 24 5.5 References 24 Appendix A - Overview of Storage Operations 25 Appendix B - Map of Lake Buffalo 26 Appendix C - Agency Roles and Responsibilities 27 Appendix D - Agency Quick Reference Guide 30 Appendix E - Community Consultation Summary 31 Appendix F - Summary of Actions 32 Lake Buffalo Land and On-Water Management Plan 2014 3 4 Lake Buffalo Land and On-Water Management Plan 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Lake Buffalo is a water supply storage This Lake Buffalo Land and created by the damming of the On-Water Management Plan aims Buffalo River within the Ovens River to identify and protect important catchment. The storage is an important values associated with the waterways tourism and recreation asset in north- by outlining priority land and eastern Victoria, being a popular on-water management issues recreational asset used by locals and and identifying key actions to be tourists for a diverse range of activities implemented over the next five years. including power boating, fishing, Most importantly, this Plan aims to canoeing, swimming, bushwalking, increase communication, consistency, hunting and picnicking. coordination and cooperation between agencies, stakeholder groups Lake Buffalo was completed in 1965 and the community to protect the with a storage capacity of almost values and attributes of the Lake 24,000 ML. The water stored in Lake Buffalo storage. Buffalo is used to supplement flows in the Ovens River for irrigation and The development of this Plan has urban water supply for the Rural City been supported and informed of Wangaratta. The primary role of by community and stakeholder the Lake Buffalo water storage is for consultation, which included irrigation water supply storage, and community forums, surveys, focus this factor needs to be managed and groups and interviews. Ongoing balanced against the recreational stakeholder engagement for values of the waterways. the implementation of this Plan will be facilitated through the Community interaction is a prominent involvement of the Lake Buffalo element associated with the Plan Implementation Group. management of water storages, and the management of public recreational This Plan is a dynamic document and use of irrigation storages is a challenge will continue to evolve as the various for Goulburn-Murray Water. Planning, actions and strategies that it identifies management and resourcing of are developed and implemented. land and on-water issues has in the past tended to be reactive rather It is proposed that this Plan will be than proactive, with no integrated reviewed every five years. overarching plans for the management of land and on-water issues. This is currently being addressed through the development of Land and On- Water Management Plans for all of the Goulburn-Murray Water storages. Each Plan is being developed through an extensive process of engagement with communities to ensure the Plans have strong community support for their implementation. Lake Buffalo Land and On-Water Management Plan 2014 5 1. PLAN OBJECTIVES & CONTEXT 1.1 Objectives of this Plan 1.2 Plan Context Land Status The main objectives of this Plan are to: Vision for Lake Buffalo Goulburn-Murray Water manages the lake bed and immediate foreshore • Recognise the diverse range Lake Buffalo is an effective operating land around Lake Buffalo. This land is a of values and uses associated water storage and is an attractive and mixture of freehold land held in title and with the storage. safe place for visitors and tourists to Crown Land with vested management. engage in recreational activities on • Provide a strategic framework for and around the water. A small amount of Goulburn-Murray management of the storage. Water managed land is bounded by Storage Operations private freehold land. • Identify important social, economic and environmental The primary purpose of Lake Buffalo Goulburn-Murray Water leases some issues, and develop a series is to provide water to downstream land on the perimeter of the storage of actions to address these communities and consumptive to commercial operators and issues issues to be implemented users. The storage’s operational and licences for agricultural activities. over the next five years. maintenance costs are funded by the tariffs charged to Goulburn-Murray Plan Area • Positively influence the Water’s wholesale and retail customers. The geographic scope of this project is management of development Operational decisions, including water limited to the waterbody, the foreshore pressures around the storage levels and release patterns, consider the and the surrounding areas. Appendix to protect natural and cultural potential effects on downstream users. values, through agreement B illustrates Lake Buffalo and the and partnerships with other This Plan cannot make any specific catchment to the storage. Government departments decisions regarding the management Direct management control of water and agencies, including of water levels in the storage. authorities is limited to areas of Alpine Shire Council. Operational issues, including storage the lake bed and foreshore public levels and the long-proposed land. While this Plan focuses on the • Protect the long-term quality of expansion of the existing storage, are waterbody and foreshore areas, it also the water resource for local and ‘bigger picture’ questions beyond the aims to positively influence activities downstream users. scope of this Plan. For reference, a that could impact on the waterbody, brief overview of storage operations is An additional objective is to the adjacent land areas surrounding the included as Appendix A. achieve general acceptance of the storage, and the broader catchment. management recommendations and Legal Status responsibilities by key stakeholder Management Roles and and community interest groups. This Plan has no legal status. It will Responsibilities This will be achieved through a not impose any new legal or statutory A number of agencies play a role comprehensive stakeholder and requirements. However, through in the management of land and community consultation program influencing policy, it may lead to future water issues for Lake Buffalo. Current and the technically robust and changes in legislation that will assist in management roles and responsibilities defensible processes used in the meeting the objectives of this Plan. are summarised in Appendix C. A preparation of this Plan. quick reference guide for the lead agencies responsible for managing land and on-water management issues is provided in Appendix D. 6 Lake Buffalo Land and On-Water Management Plan 2014 2. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION & RAISING AWARENESS Lake Buffalo services the community in Lake Buffalo is located in in the upper two primary ways: reaches of the Buffalo River Valley, near to Myrtleford at the Valley’s mouth.