Water

All the land, biodiversity, coastal and marine elements of our environment are intimately linked with water.

Our water resources also include ground water and dams that are used for public and private water supplies.

Waterways in the South Coast Region include all rivers, tributaries, estuaries and wetlands.

Many of our past land uses and practices, such as clearing, fertilizer application, and tillage, have contributed to the build up of sediment, salinity and nutrients in our waterways.

Making sure there is access to clean water for drinking, stock, rural, residential and industrial uses, as well as improving and maintaining the health of waterways are a priority in the South Coast Region.

The attraction of living, working and recreating in the Region is putting increased pressure on our waterways. While the high level of recreational use offers opportunities for increased community awareness of their values, there are challenges and threats to our waterways, such as erosion and over fishing, that need to be addressed.

Working closely with land owners and land managers, community and environmental groups, as well as government agencies, we are making sure any action undertaken now will help develop information about the Region’s waterways and water resources to direct future activity.

Through on ground NRM actions, South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. is striving to balance the use of water with environmental requirements to improve water quality.

SCNRM IconText - Water.aiSouth Coast NRM Assets

Water

Waterways in the South Coast Region include all rivers, tributaries, estuaries and wetlands. Our water resources also include ground water and dams that are used for public and private water supplies.

Notable progress towards improving regional water quality has been made through a range of key action areas during the past year.

Here are some highlights of the year’s on ground activities.

Surveys and Habitat Mapping

Wetland surveys have focused on classifying their status according to environmental, cultural, and social values.

Surveys have been completed for three priority rivers ahead of schedule.

Habitat mapping has concentrated on rivers, with 11 rivers sampled in the central/eastern part of the Region, providing information on macroinvertebrate species diversity, fish presence, water quality, vegetation species and condition, stream habitat and bank condition.

The classification of the Albany urban wetlands was also completed.

Monitoring

Forty new monitoring programs were established and 30 existing monitoring programs were improved.

Estuarine monitoring has been maintained through sediment assessments, seagrass surveys, water quality status and trends, and water level assessment.

Monitoring programs for an additional six estuaries were implemented.

A new hydrological monitoring station was established in the West Dalyup River, and snapshot sampling was conducted in the Walpole/Nornalup area.

Plan Development and Implementation

Implementation activities included fencing vegetation, revegetating areas, installing stream crossings and stock watering sites, surface drainage and establishment of perennial pastures.

Four management plans were completed.

Catchment management plans for Wellstead and Torbay estuaries were completed. Plans for Stokes Inlet, Walpole-Nornalup Inlet and Culham Inlet continue.

Three protection plans were fully (Torbay, Walpole River) or partially completed (Bremer Bay).

Research and management

The investment into wetland research and management has provided valuable information about wetlands and waterways.

Further data on flora communities was compiled, and flora and fauna lists for many wetlands were produced.

Ecological classification of wetlands was improved, providing finer-scale assessment of wetland values.

The cultural significance of wetlands for indigenous people was identified.

Wetlands with the potential to be affected by urban developments were identified as a step towards increased protection of wetlands in management and land-use plans.