Snapshot of the Estuary Management Plan

October 2006 Estuary Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Dye, A.H., Dickinson, T.G., For copies of this document Process Study, 2001 Roberts, D.E. (2006) Snapshot or more information about management Tuggerah Lakes Estuary of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary process Managment Study, 2005 Management Plan. Prepared Management Plan, contact: for Council and Wyong Shire Council Tuggerah Lakes Estuary the Department of Natural Management Plan, 2006 Resources. BIO-ANALYSIS: Siân Fawcett Marine, Estuarine and Senior Natural Resources Freshwater Ecology, Narara. Officer – Aquatic Resource Management Summary document information adapted from 43505506 Dickinson, T.G. et. al. (2006). [email protected] Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Department of Management Plan. Prepared Natural Resources for Wyong Shire Council Neil Kelleher and Department of Natural Senior Natural Resource Resources. Officer – Coastal, Estuary and Floodplain Engineer, Strategy and Planning, Hunter Region () 43377313 [email protected]

You can also find information about the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Processes Study, and Estuary Management Study and Plan on Wyong Shire Council’s web site www.wyong.nsw.gov.au

Cover photography (top, left and middle) and above: Andrew Rowland

Prepared by For Community resource information for the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan

Seahorse The Tuggerah Lakes Estuary is Council received over 400 home to Hippocampus whitei – entries of exceptionally high logo design White’s Seahorse. A protected quality, making judging competition species that is only found in extremely difficult. After Australian waters and lives careful consideration, the in the seagrass beds of the judging panel chose the entry Tuggerah Lakes Estuary. submitted by Amber Simpson To celebrate this iconic from St Cecilia’s Catholic resident, the Tuggerah Lakes School as the overall Estuary, Coastal and Floodplain competition winner. Committee has chosen White’s Seahorse as the logo for the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan, and invited local primary schools to enter the seahorse logo design competition.

Amber Simpson is congratulated by the Mayor, Cr Bob Graham and Council’s Environmental Health Officer (Education) Danielle Hargreaves.

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 1 Foreword

The Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Completion of the Tuggerah The Shire’s waterways are an is one of the most unique Lakes Estuary Process Study integral part of our community’s estuaries in , and one (2001) and Management Study lifestyle and is therefore the of Wyong Shire’s most valued (2005) provided Council with focus of many recreational natural assets. However, a sound basis to formulate activities including fishing, continued fast growth in the the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary boating, cycling, walking and region means the Lakes are Management Plan. picnicking. Their long-term under considerable threat. The Tuggerah Lakes Estuary protection will ensure that they For the past ten years, in Management Plan is based are there for current and future partnership with the NSW on sound science and an generations to enjoy. Department of Natural appreciation of the community’s The challenge for us now is Resources, Council has been values and perspectives, to ensure that the Plan is developing a management and I have been extremely implemented to guarantee plan for the protection of the encouraged by the involvement a sustainable future for the Tuggerah Lakes in line with of the community in developing Tuggerah Lakes Estuary. the State Government’s Estuary the Management Plan. The significant cost of this Management Policy. The Management Plan contains will be shared between the four action plans which are State Government, Council based on on-ground activities and ratepayers. including a significant number On behalf of Wyong Shire of new projects to help restore Council and the Tuggerah parts of the estuary and Lakes Estuary, Coastal and Catchment and encourage Floodplain Management people back to the Lakes. Committee I proudly welcome the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan.

Councillor Bob Graham Mayor Chair, Tuggerah Lakes Estuary, Coastal and Floodplain Management Committee

2 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Contents

Introducing the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 4 Why do we need estuary management plans? Developing your Estuary Management Plan Estuary management planning process The Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Who is responsible for managing the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary? Vision for the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary attribute description The Estuary Management Plan Estuary Management Plan and associated Action Plans review cycles Water Quality Action Plan 10 Processes and issues Locations of Water Quality Programmes Maintaining good water quality Water Quality Action Plan summary Ecology Action Plan 16 Processes and issues Locations of Ecology Programmes Maintaining the ecology of Tuggerah Lakes Ecology Action Plan summary Socio-economic Action Plan 20 Issues Enhancing socio-economic values in Tuggerah Lakes Locations of Socio-economic Programmes Socio-economic Action Plan summary Knowledge and Management Action Plan 24 Issues An adaptive management approach Locations of Knowledge and Management Programmes Knowledge and Management Action Plan summary Consulting with all stakeholders 28 Timeline: The NSW estuary management process What happens now? 29 We value your comments How to contact us

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 3 Introducing the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan

Why do we The coastal zone of New South Developing your Estuary Wales has taken a bit of a need estuary beating over the last 200 years. Management Plan management The original bush and shorelines have often been As the responsible authority, The final step is the plans? replaced with farmland, Wyong Shire Council has development of the Estuary industrial sites and housing developed an Estuary Management Plan. This gives estates. Increasing amounts Management Plan for the us the detailed actions of sediment and waste have Tuggerah Lakes. This all necessary to achieve the inevitably found their way into started with the Tuggerah management objectives and our creeks and estuaries, Lakes Estuary Process Study, also says why these are causing all sorts of problems which tells us how the lakes appropriate, who is responsible like flooding, excessive plant system works and how our for doing them, how long each growth, bad smells and activities affect it, however should take, how much it will pollution. We like living on the there is still some things cost and how it will be coast and our estuaries are very we don’t know. This was evaluated. If implemented fully, important to us for commercial followed by the Estuary the actions listed in the Plan activities and recreation, so Management Study, which have the potential to halt the we’ve got to do something to put was completed in 2005 and current rate of decline we are them right. We can fix these combined the results of the experiencing in our creeks, problems, but we need a plan to Process Study with input and lakes. help us do it effectively, which is from you, the community, The full Estuary Management why the State government asked so that objectives could be Plan is a large document and local authorities to come up set to manage the condition is very detailed, so we’ve with plans for the future of the estuary. summarised it here. management of our estuaries.

Photo (above): Andrew Rowland

4 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Estuary Management Planning Process (after DLWC, 1992).

ESTUARY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

ASSEMBLE EXISTING DATA

ESTUARY PROCESS STUDY

ESTUARY MANAGEMENT STUDY

ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN

PLAN REVIEW

ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION

MONITORING AND REVIEW

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 5 The Tuggerah The three interconnected This attractiveness has also has been cleared for urban that comprise the created big problems, because development, causing more Lakes Estuary Tuggerah Lakes estuary are more people means greater sediment to wash into largely isolated from the sea, stress on an already stressed waterways and lakes. Water but it’s this isolation that environment. is diverted for domestic and creates a special environment The estuary is in better industrial use and what’s left that supports a huge diversity of condition than it was 20 years is often of too low quality and plants and animals. The beauty ago, mainly because we now sometimes quantity to help of the lakes attracts people; who dispose of our sewage at sea, the estuary. A visionary plan either want to live here or want but the Estuary Management of management is needed to visit. As a result, a wide Study still showed that there if we are to improve and range of commercial activities, are a number of issues that maintain the health of the including fishing, boating and threaten the lakes. People Tuggerah Lakes, not only for tourism, take place on or around need resources like land, our benefit, but also for future the lakes. Today, the Tuggerah water, electricity and sewerage generations. Lakes and their catchment are systems. Natural vegetation home to over 130 000 people.

Photo: Julie Garratley

6 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan The Tuggerah Lakes Estuary

Tuggerah Lakes Estuary

State forest

Local government area

Roads

Rivers

Spring Creek Jilliby Jilliby Creek Wallarah Creek Warnervale Budgewoi

Toukley

Wyong Wyong River Norah Head

Tuggerah

Ourimbah Creek

The Entrance Tumbi Creek Berkeley Vale Saltwater Creek Bateau Bay

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 7 Who is The State Government “owns” • The NSW Government You can find details of the Tuggerah Lakes, whilst (Department of Environment the involvement and responsible for While Wyong Shire Council and Conservation; Maritime responsibilities of these managing the is the main “manager” of the Authority; Department of organisations in Section 3.7 catchment which flows into and Natural Resources; of the larger version of the Plan. Tuggerah Lakes impacts upon the “health” of Department of Primary Getting all these agencies to Estuary? the Tuggerah Lakes estuary. A Industries; Department work together in a coordinated number of State and Federal of Lands; Department way is a challenge in itself authorities also have a say of Aboriginal Affairs) and the Plan has been setup • Gosford-Wyong Councils • Federal Government to help this happen so that Joint Water Authority (Department of Environment we can achieve our objectives for the estuary. • The Hunter-Central Rivers and Heritage) Photo (above): Julie Garratley Catchment Management Photos (below and opposite): Authority Andrew Rowland Vision for the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary attribute description

Water Quality Current water quality does not deteriorate in the face of new development. Recreational water quality is improved at lake and creek swimming areas. Foreshores Healthy foreshores that promote saltmarsh growth which in turn aid in the natural breakdown of seagrass wrack. Public facilities Excellent recreational facilities at access points. Rivers and Creeks Healthy rivers and creeks that connect well with the estuary and provide good habitat for estuarine animals. Ocean entrances Existing exchange with the ocean is maintained. A permanent entrance is not a cost-effective solution and will have unknown ecological impacts. Seagrass wrack Seagrass wrack will be harvested from locations where it accumulates too frequently to be broken down naturally. Wherever possible, saltmarsh will be used to encourage natural odourless decomposition of wrack on the foreshores. Fish and prawns Sustainable fish and prawn populations and habitat that provide for long-term recreational and commercial fishing.

8 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Estuary Management Plan and associated Action Plans review cycles

The Estuary 6. Ensure that we continue to improve our Management Plan understanding of how the estuary works and Putting together the Estuary incorporate this knowledge Management Plan is the most into management. important part of the process because it takes what we After extensive community ESTUARY learned in the earlier stages consultation during the and turns that knowledge into Estuary Management Study, MANAGEMENT practical actions directed 27 priority actions were PLAN 2006 squarely at helping the estuary. identified to achieve these The estuary management study objectives. In the Estuary identified six primary Management Plan, these were objectives that we should aim expanded into Action Plans for in the management of each with a series of specific Tuggerah Lakes. actions. The Action Plans are intended to help meet 1. Ensure that the quality and management goals for Water quantity of water meet the 1st YEAR 3-5th YEAR Quality, Ecology, Socio- needs of the community Economic, and Knowledge ACTIONS ACTIONS and lakes and rivers. & Management for the next 2. Ensure that the plants 5 years. Each Action Plan along the banks of rivers, will be developed and lakes and in wetlands are implemented by teams of protected because these stakeholders (groups who 2nd YEAR are essential to a healthy have a responsibility or interest ACTIONS ecosystem. in the actions). These teams 3. Ensure that biodiversity will be involved in finalising and ecological integrity actions and managing budgets of the lakes ecosystem are each year. Every financial year maintained or enhanced. the plans will be reviewed to see whether targets have been 4. Ensure that human met and new plans drafted for activities can take place the next year. At the end of while protecting cultural REVIEW AND REPORT REVIEW AND REPORT the first five year period, the heritage and enhancing current priorities should be soil, water and ecosystem reviewed and a revised set health. of priorities should be set to 5. Ensure that the social govern Lakes management ESTUARY and economic needs of the for the next five year period. MANAGEMENT community are met while This summary gives you an protecting the environment PLAN 2011+ overview of what’s in the of the coastal zone. Action Plans, why they make sense and what you could expect to see happening around the lakes.

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 9 Water Quality Action Plan

Processes and The quality of water in the like roofs, roads, car parks and flowing from the catchment. Tuggerah Lakes estuary culverts. These surfaces The salt-content of the lake issues depends much more on the rain into creeks, water is usually about two- quality of the water that flows and increase the velocity of thirds that of seawater and into it through rivers, creeks, flow and its ability to erode that’s just the way the animals stormwater drains and directly stream banks, adding even and plants like it. The system from the surrounding land more nutrients and sediment can stand short periods when rather than the seawater to the system. To make matters there is more freshwater such entering thorough the Entrance worse, this water is often as during , or periods of Channel. In a catchment with contaminated with chemicals full-strength sea water, as may no development this water will and litter. occur during droughts, but contain some nutrients and Why are excess nutrients a prolonged periods of either sediment, but not much else. problem? Just as fertilizers would be disastrous and many The estuary doesn't just absorb help your garden plants to kinds of plants and animals these; they are actually grow, so nutrients feed the would disappear. essential for its wellbeing. The plants in the estuary. Too much For this reason the Plan problem today is that we have nutrients means too much gives careful attention to damaged the catchment by plant growth, which chokes the problems of water quality clearing vegetation for the system. As if this wasn’t and quantity and to the construction and agriculture bad enough, the process of balance between fresh and and exposing sediments, decay uses up the oxygen in salt water. By using fresh nutrients and in some cases the water causing bad odours water more efficiently, we acids, to erosion. and even killing fish and can ensure that enough is Natural vegetation which other animals. left to meet the ecological allows rain to percolate into the Excess sediment and growth needs of the system. Keeping groundwater system, has been of microscopic plants is also the entrance open will replaced with hard surfaces a problem because it increases maintain the mix of fresh the cloudiness of the water, and sea water that the lakes reducing the amount of light depend on. that penetrates the water, A third very important aspect Photo (above): Andrew Rowland affecting aquatic plants like of water quality concerns seagrass and affecting the public health. Bacteria and animals that depend on it. other harmful bugs from Because Tuggerah Lakes drains sewage and stormwater are a large catchment (670km2), a potential threat to health, it is prone to the build-up particularly in areas of high of nutrients and sediments. recreational use, such as To reduce these problems, we popular bathing spots. need to manage the amounts There will be ongoing entering the estuary. monitoring of water quality Another important aspect and additional work to of water quality is the amount identify the sources of this of salt it contains. In Tuggerah contamination and methods lakes, seawater from the ocean for reducing its occurrence. is diluted by fresh water

10 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan