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In this section you will find detailed information, including national overviews and state and regional level assessments, from the 2000-2002 National Land and Water Resources Audit theme assessments.
Australian Catchment, River and Estuary Assessment 2002
National Land and Water Resources Audit, 2002
ISBN 0 642 37125 3
Management arrangements and policies
Photo: Greening Australia ACT and SE NSW Inc.
The following section is a summary of catchment management arrangements and policies by State and Territory.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory defines integrated catchment management as:
An approach to planning and natural resource management based on ecological, social and ecological considerations.
The Australian Capital Territory government is planning and implementing an integrated catchment management framework guided by:
- the ACT Decade of Landcare Plan (1991) which recognises that a greater emphasis on integrated catchment management is required and
- the Territory Plan (1993) which states that planning for land and water resources will be integrated, based on total catchment management principles.
Although no legislation completely covers integrated catchment management, it is partly covered by the Environment Protection Act 1997 (ACT), the Water Resources Act 1988 (ACT) and the Nature Conservation Act 1980 (ACT), and to a lesser extent, some of the 72 Acts administered by the Australian Capital Territory Department of Urban Services.
New South Wales
Principal agency: Department of Land and Water Conservation
Total catchment management is defined as:
The coordinated and sustainable use and management of land, water, vegetation and other natural resources on a water catchment basis so as to balance resource use and conservation.
Total catchment management began in 1984, and was formalised with the introduction of the Catchment Management Act 1989 (NSW). There are three levels of management organisation:
- State Catchment Management Coordinating Committee - includes representatives of State and local governments, and relevant community and interest groups.
- Sydney Catchment Authority - responsible for managing Sydney's catchments, dams, transfer pipes and other infrastructure and supplies water to 4 million people in Sydney, the Blue Mountains and some parts of the Southern Highlands.
- Catchment Management Boards - eighteen catchment management boards replaced a large number of catchment management committees.
Responsibilities for catchment management are allocated under several of the 52 Acts administrated by the Department of Land and Water Conservation.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory supports integrated catchment management and is developing a framework. This is primarily the responsibility of Department of Lands Planning and Environment, but is also affected by legislation administered through the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, and the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory. These departments administer 83 pieces of legislation, many of which impact on catchment management. Important Acts include the Water Act 1992 (NT) and the Fisheries Act 1999 (NT).
Queensland
The Department of Natural Resources and Mines coordinates a community-based, integrated catchment management approach introduced in 1991. Catchment committees were established to take an integrated approach to water, soil and vegetation resources within specific river catchments.
Queensland has more than 30 catchment management and 163 regional strategy groups.
The Queensland Murray-Darling Association was formed when Queensland entered the Murray-Darling Basin Initiative in 1992. It is the coordinating body for catchment management in Queensland's part of the Murray-Darling Basin.
Queensland has no direct legislative base for the integrated catchment management framework. The government is investigating the possibility of statutory support for catchment management. However, catchment management can be indirectly affected by a number of the 19 Acts administered by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines.
South Australia
Principal agency: Department of Water Resources
Catchment management falls directly under most of the ten Acts administered by the Department of Water Resources and is also affected by many of the Acts administrated by the Department of Environment and Heritage.
Catchment management is defined as:
The management of water resources in an integrated way to achieve economic, environmental and social goals.
Catchment management is primarily undertaken in accordance with arrangements set up under the Water Resources Act 1997 (SA). The Act defines four major areas of catchment management planning:
- the State Water Plan - outlines the policy framework for water resources management and use throughout the state. It provides information on the condition and use of water resources;
- catchment water management plans - undertaken by catchment water management boards;
- water allocation plans and trading rights - implemented to establish a system for the use and management of water resources; and
- local water management plans - carried out by local councils for water resources in their area.
Tasmania
The non-statutory Land and Water Management Council was formed in 1994.
Integrated catchment management is defined as:
The coordinated and sustainable use and management of land, water, vegetation and other natural resources on a regional water catchment basis so as to balance resource utilisation and conservation
The Department of Primary Industries, Water and the Environment has designated 48 catchments for the State. Natural resource management processes are under way in 27 of these catchments.
The government is currently developing a State policy on integrated catchment management and implementing catchment management concepts through many of the 95 Acts administered by the Department of Primary Industries, Water and the Environment.
Victoria
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is responsible for administering 103 Acts, many of which relate to integrated catchment management. The primary goal of integrated catchment management is stated as:
... to ensure the sustainable development of natural resource-based industries, the protection of land and water resources and the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
Principal legislation is the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic). The Victorian Catchment Management Council provides advice to Government on natural resource management issues. Nine regional catchment management authorities and the Metropolitan Catchment and Land Protection Board have been created under this Act. Their key role is to coordinate regional catchment strategies.
Western Australia
Integrated catchment management is defined as:
The coordinated planning, use and management of water, land, vegetation and other natural resources on a river or groundwater catchment basis.
The aim of integrated catchment management is to bring all stakeholders together to form a plan of action that addresses social, economic and ecological concerns within a catchment.
No legislation or single group provides a total framework and government agencies responsible for catchment management include:
- Water and Rivers Commission;
- Department of Environmental Protection;
- Department of Conservation and Land Management;
- Department of Agriculture;
- Office of Water Regulation; and
- Water Corporation.
These agencies are responsible for 77 Acts, which have direct and indirect effects on catchment management.
Table 8 summarises catchment management areas in each of the States and Territories.
| Catchment management areas (CMAs) | Number of CMAs | 1 coordinator per | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | Subcatchments defined within the Murrumbidgee River Basin | 2 | Territory |
| New South Wales | Catchment Management Board areas | 2 | Catchment Management Authority |
| Northern Territory | Australian Water Resources Council basins | 2 | Territory |
| Queensland | Australian Water Resources Council basins grouped or divided by Catchment Management Strategy regions | 47 | Catchment Management Authority |
| South Australia | Australian Water Resources Council basins grouped by Catchment Water Management Board areas | 26 | mixed |
| Tasmania | Department of Primary Industries and Environment catchments (ex HEC data) | 4 | State |
| Victoria | Catchment Management Board areas | 10 | Catchment Management Authority |
| Western Australia | Australian Water Resources Council basins grouped by NRM regions | 9 | region |
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