ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT GOALS for TASMANIAN SURFACE WATERS SOUTH-EAST COAST CATCHMENTS
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DEPARTMENT of PRIMARY INDUSTRIES, WATER and ENVIRONMENT - ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT GOALS for TASMANIAN SURFACE WATERS SOUTH-EAST COAST CATCHMENTS Final Paper May, 2003 record of the PEV setting process. Environmental Management Goals Words and expressions used in this for Tasmanian Surface Waters: discussion paper have, unless the contrary intention appears, the same SOUTH-EAST COAST meaning as defined in the State Policy CATCHMENTS on Water Quality Management 1997 and the Environmental Management During 2002/2003 Protected and Pollution Control Act 1994. Environmental Values (PEVs) were set Ecosystem refers to physical, chemical for the South East Coast catchments. A and biological aspects of the aquatic discussion paper was prepared to environment. facilitate public participation in setting the PEVs. This discussion paper was intended as a basis for community and This paper is divided into six main stakeholder participation in the process sections: of developing environmental management goals for surface waters in • The first part discusses water catchments of the South-East region of reform in general. Tasmania. • The second part provides a brief This paper was prepared by the description of the catchments in the Environment Division, in consultation South-East region. with the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, the Marine Resources Division • Part three discusses the State Policy and the Land and Water Management on Water quality Management. Branch of the Department of Primary • Industries, Water and Environment and The fourth part discusses the the Tasman, Sorell and Clarence Protected Environmental Values for Councils. the catchments of the South-East region. This paper has been modified into its current form to reflect that the process • Water quantity values are discussed for setting PEVs for the South East in part five. Coastal Catchments is now complete. It • was considered, however, that much of Part six discusses the community the information included in the water values for the catchments. discussion paper should remain as a 2 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 4 1.1 WHY DO WE NEED WATER REFORM? ...........................................................................4 1.2 WHAT ARE THESE REFORMS?.......................................................................................4 1.3 WHAT DID WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO DO? ...................................................................5 1.4 HOW WILL THE PUBLIC INPUT BE USED? .....................................................................5 2 CATCHMENT DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................... 6 2.1 OVERVIEW......................................................................................................................6 2.2 CLIMATE ........................................................................................................................6 2.3 GEOLOGY .......................................................................................................................7 2.4 FLORA.............................................................................................................................7 2.5 FAUNA.............................................................................................................................8 2.6 WETLANDS .....................................................................................................................9 2.7 WATER USES ................................................................................................................10 2.8 WATER QUALITY ISSUES.............................................................................................11 3 WATER QUALITY: PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES (PEVS) ............ 12 3.1 SETTING PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES.....................................................12 3.2 PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES CATEGORIES .............................................12 3.3 COMMUNITY INPUT .....................................................................................................13 4 WATER QUALITY: PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES FOR THE SOUTH-EAST COAST CATCHMENTS ............................................................................... 14 5 WATER QUANTITY VALUES ....................................................................................... 28 5.1 OVERVIEW....................................................................................................................28 5.2 WATER QUANTITY VALUES .........................................................................................28 6 COMMUNITY WATER VALUES FOR SOUTH-EAST COAST CATCHMENTS .. 30 3 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 a healthy environment and a productive water 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 mountain sources to slowly flowing reduced 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 that are considered clearly linked to the way we use the 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 is to explain how water quality values will be identified and used. Local In response to a general recognition communities have a key role in across the community of the importance identifying these values in their areas. of having clean water and appropriate (b) water quantity management river flows, the Tasmanian Government has introduced a range of reforms The introduction of the Water designed to ensure that these values are Management Act 1999 to replace the protected for the future of the State. Water Act 1957 provides for: 4 • major changes to the institutional The catchment stakeholders/publics arrangements for water management; answers to these questions then helped to develop the community water values • the ready transfer of water rights for regional wetlands and waterways. between different users; People had different views on these • enhanced stakeholder and community questions. What was needed to do was input into water allocation and to try to think about the "big" picture, management; and and how our own objectives may impact on the whole catchment and the • a more transparent and equitable wider community. water allocation system, including formal allocation of flows to maintain Planning to ensure sustainable use of a healthy river environment. these waters and protection of river health requires sound knowledge of The second purpose of this paper was to local water quality and quantity issues. canvas the publics views on what was Therefore the public submissions valued in the water resources from a providing local knowledge was water quantity perspective. important. 1.3 What did we want the public to 1.4 How will the public input be do? used? Local communities have a valuable Information from the public on values understanding of their regional particularly relating to water quality waterways. The following questions of assisted the Board of Environmental the catchment stakeholders were asked. Management and Pollution Control and What uses or values do you have for the councils to finalise the range of surface waters in this area that rely upon Protected Environmental Values for the maintaining or enhancing water quality? surface waters of the regional Which of your activities rely upon waterways. These values will be shown maintaining or enhancing the flow of in management plans for the region. water into catchment waterways? Are Information from community there certain places on your rivers that stakeholders, catchment groups and the you traditionally use for swimming or public on water quantity values will be other