Rivercare
Australian Government, 2004
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About this document
The Australian Government's Rivercare initiative is improving the condition of Australia's valuable water resources - including rivers, streams, wetlands and groundwater - resulting in improved water quality and environmental condition for all Australians.
A key theme of the Government's Natural Heritage Trust, Rivercare is working to protect and maintain Australia's beautiful waterways for generations to come.
Many animals and plants rely on Australia's freshwater environments in rivers, streams, wetlands and floodplains. Protection of habitat is vital for the survival of species such as Galaxias fish, Macquarie Perch and the Western Swamp Tortoise.
Migratory waterbirds also rely on our waterways for survival, using wetlands to feed and nest. For example, the floodplain wetlands of the Barmah and Gunbower forests in Victoria are protected under the international Ramsar Convention. These wetlands are visited by many migratory bird species such as the Painted Snipe, Glossy Ibis and Red-necked Stint.
Some water environments are themselves threatened, including the beautiful wetlands of the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. Through investment from the Natural Heritage Trust a number of activities will be supported to protect, conserve and restore wetland systems.
Improving water quality in coastal waters where rivers meet the sea is another major goal of Rivercare. This is being achieved by supporting actions that reduce the nutrients, sediments and other pollutants that reach waterways and groundwater, including the use of clean wastewater and stormwater systems, and improved water-use efficiency and re-use.
Rivercare also supports prevention or control of the introduction and spread of aquatic pests and weeds that threaten the natural and productive values of rivers and wetlands.
One of these pests is the Mosquito fish from North America. This introduced pest has spread in many shallow flowing rivers, breeding rapidly the fish out-compete native fish for food supplies. Mosquito fish also eat the eggs and young of other fish species.
The weed Mimosa is also a major threat for Australia's river systems, attacking rivers, wetlands and floodplains in the Northern Territory, severely affecting agriculture and natural values in places such as Kakadu National Park.
Many industries depend on access to water resources and the condition of the water. The Natural Heritage Trust's Rivercare helps develop systems that will support landholders and other water users to manage water resources in a sustainable and profitable way.
More reliable allocations of water for human use, industry and the environment will help achieve more sustainable and productive water systems. This requires improved sharing of water resources between the environment, human use and industries.
Management approaches to improve industrial water-use include caps on the extractive use of water from all surface and groundwater systems, and a strategy and timetable for meeting the caps. Rivercare aims to develop more effective water-trading markets that incorporate integrated management of both surface and groundwater systems.
Rivercare supports the community to monitor and protect waterways, wetlands and groundwater, through successful programs such as Waterwatch. Waterwatch is a national community water quality monitoring network that encourages all Australians to be involved in the protection and management of their waterways and catchments.
Waterwatch is part of the Natural Heritage Trust's activities to improve awareness, understanding and support among the wider community of the need for sustainable water management and conservation of plants and animals that inhabit freshwater environments, including rivers, streams, wetlands and groundwater.
For further information call 1800 065 823 or visit www.nht.gov.au
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