Nagambie Waterways Land and On-Water Management Plan 2012 Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................... 3 7. Healthy Ecosystems ..................................................26 7.1 Aquatic Fauna and Habitat .....................................26 1. Objectives of the Plan ................................................ 4 7.2 Foreshore Vegetation Management .....................27 7.3 Pest Plants and Animals ........................................ 28 2. Context .................................................................................. 4 2.1 Storage Operations ...................................................... 4 8. Land Management .......................................................30 2.2 Legal Status ................................................................... 4 8.1 Planning and Development......................................30 2.3 Land Status .................................................................... 5 8.2 Unauthorised Development .................................... 31 2.4 Plan Area ........................................................................ 5 8.3 Agricultural Land Use and Grazing ......................32 2.5 Management Roles and Responsibilities .............. 5 8.4 Permits, Licences and Lease Arrangements ....33 8.5 Fire Management ........................................................34 3. Plan Implementation ................................................... 5 9. Cultural Heritage .........................................................35 4. Community Awareness and Involvement ..... 6 9.1 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage ..................................35 4.1 Nagambie Waterways Project Guidance Group .. 6 9.2 European Heritage .....................................................36 4.2 Community Education and Awareness .................. 7 10. References ......................................................................38 5. Recreation and Tourism ...........................................10 5.1 Boating and Waterway Management ....................10 Appendices 5.2 Fishing ............................................................................12 Appendix A 5.3 Swimming .......................................................................13 Overview of Storage Operations ..............................................40 5.4 Hunting ...........................................................................14 Appendix B 5.5 Public Access and Infrastructure ..........................15 Map of Nagambie Waterways .....................................................41 5.6 Safety and Emergency Management ....................16 Appendix C 5.7 Clubs and Commercial Operators ..........................17 Agency Roles and Responsibilities .......................................... 42 5.8 Recreation and Tourism Development .................18 Appendix D 5.9 Rowing ............................................................................19 Agency Quick Reference Guide ................................................45 Appendix E 6. Water Quality ................................................................. 20 Summary of Actions ...................................................................46 6.1 Water Quality Monitoring ........................................ 21 Appendix F 6.2 Catchment Impacts on the Waterways ............... 21 Summary of Consultation ..........................................................50 6.3 Erosion ...........................................................................22 6.4 Wastewater Management ........................................23 6.5 Stormwater Management ........................................24 6.6 Grazing ...........................................................................25 6.7 Blue-green Algae ........................................................25 2 Nagambie Waterways | Land and On-Water Management Plan 2012 Executive Summary The Nagambie Waterways, comprising parts of the Goulburn River, Lake Nagambie, the backwaters and the Goulburn Weir pool, are an important tourism and recreation asset in northern Victoria. The waterways are extremely popular with both locals and tourists for a variety of boating activities and pursuits such as fishing, swimming, cycling, walking, hunting and camping. Several major sporting events are held annually on the waterways, including rowing regattas and water skiing. The recreational values of the Nagambie Waterways need The development of this Plan has been supported and to be managed against its primary role to regulate the informed by an extensive community and stakeholder Goulburn River for consumptive (i.e. irrigation, urban, and consultation process, which included community forums, domestic and stock purposes) and environmental uses. In surveys, focus groups and interviews. Ongoing stakeholder recent years, the importance of the Nagambie Waterways engagement for the implementation of this Plan will be for environmental uses has increased, and is likely to facilitated through the involvement of the Nagambie further grow with the introduction of the Proposed Basin Waterways Project Guidance Group. Plan by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. This Plan is a dynamic document and will continue to evolve Community interaction is a prominent element associated as the various actions and strategies that it identifies are with the management of water storages. Planning, developed and implemented. management and resourcing of land and on-water issues has in the past tended to be reactive rather than proactive, It is proposed that this Plan will be reviewed every with no integrated overarching plans for the management five years. of land and on-water issues. This is currently being addressed through the development of Land and On- Acknowledgement of the Traditional Owners Water Management Plans for all of the Goulburn-Murray of the Nagambie Waterways catchment: Water storages. Each Plan is being developed through an This Plan acknowledges and pays its respect to the extensive process of engagement with communities to Taungurung people as the Traditional Owners of the land ensure the Plans have strong community support for surrounding and the catchment upstream of Nagambie their implementation. Waterways. The Plan recognises and acknowledges that the Traditional Owners and their Nations have a deep cultural, This Nagambie Waterways Land and On-Water Management social, environmental, spiritual and economic connection Plan aims to identify and protect important values to their lands and waters. The Plan understands the need associated with the waterways by outlining priority land for recognition of Traditional Owners’ knowledge and and on-water management issues and identifying key cultural values during the implementation of actions set actions to be implemented over the next five years. Most out in this Plan. importantly, this Plan aims to increase communication, consistency, coordination and cooperation between agencies, stakeholder groups and the community to protect the values and attributes of the Nagambie Waterways. Nagambie Waterways | Land and On-Water Management Plan 2012 3 1. Objectives of the Plan Vision for Nagambie Waterways: A sustainable water supply asset that is the focus of the region, accommodating multiple recreation uses for locals and visitors, and offering safe, non-conflicting, equitable use of the lake, river and surrounds, while recognising its important role as a water storage. The main objectives of the Nagambie 2. Context Waterways Land and On-Water Management Plan (this Plan) are to: 2.1 Storage Operations The primary purpose of the Nagambie Waterways is to Recognise the diverse range of values and uses provide water for consumptive (i.e. irrigation, urban, and associated with the storage. domestic and stock purposes) and environmental uses. The Provide a strategic framework for management of the Goulburn Weir was constructed primarily for water supply perimeter land adjoining the storage. for irrigation and urban use. More recently the volume of water held and released from storages as environmental Identify important social, economic and environmental entitlement has increased. While operational decisions, issues and develop a series of actions to address these including water levels and release patterns, consider issues to be implemented over the next five years. impacts on recreational users, the primary consideration Positively influence the management of development must be for supply to water entitlement holders who fund pressures around the storage to protect natural the storage operation and maintenance cost. and cultural values, through agreement with other Government departments and agencies. This Nagambie Waterways Land and On-Water Management Plan cannot make any specific decisions regarding the Protect the long-term quality of the water resource for management of water levels in the storage. Operational local and downstream users. issues, including storage levels, are ‘bigger picture’ questions beyond the scope of this Plan. For reference, An additional objective is to achieve general acceptance a brief overview of storage operations is included as of the management recommendations and responsibilities Appendix A. by key stakeholder and community interest groups. This will be achieved through a comprehensive stakeholder and 2.2 Legal Status community consultation program, and a technically robust This Nagambie Waterways Land and On-Water Management and defensible process for the