Holis&c  framework  for  the  management  of  rivers,  estuaries  and  wetlands  at  the  regional  

level  Greg  PETERS  

Riverness  Pty  Ltd,  Australia        

•   Policy  framework  •   Regional  strategies  and  priority  waterways  •   Se?ng  targets  

Presenta&on  outline  

Policy  framework  

Victorian  Waterway  Management  Strategy  (2013)  

Overarching  policy  framework  for  waterways  •   Presents  the  vision,  principles  and  management  approach  

•   Sets  state  policies,  acBons  and  targets  

•   Facilitated  regional  decision  making  

•   AdapBve  to  changed  condiBons  e.g.  droughts,  floods,  wildfire  

 

Policies  and  ac&ons  -­‐  example  RecreaBonal  use  of  waterways:  •   Encourage  and  support  community  involvement  in  waterway  planning  for,  and  management  of,  recreaBonal  use  of  waterways  

•   Acknowledge  the  importance  of  waterways  for  recreaBon  and  promote  sustainable  recreaBonal  use  

•   Manage  risks  associated  with  recreaBonal  use  through  guidelines,  protocols  and  educaBon.  

Statewide  targets  

Regional  strategies  

Regional  Waterway  Strategies  

Regional  Waterway  Strategies  

•   Single,  regional  planning  document  for  rivers,  estuaries  and  wetlands  

•   Developed  by  CMAs  in  partnership  with  regional  communiBes  

•   Guide  investment  over  an  8-­‐year  period  –  Three  Bers  of  targets  –  clear  program  logic  –  High  level  regional  works  program  

Asset  based  approach    –  AVIRA  database  

•   Assets  •   river  reaches,  estuaries  and  wetlands  •   Linked  to  ISC,  IWC,  IEC  

•   Consistent  set  of    •   Values  (+40)  

   

ASSET

ITEM

Wetland Name

DEPI layer

WETLAND_

Current

ASSET

CLASS

River Reaches

Wetlands

Estuaries

Groundwater

Marine

VALUE

TYPE

Environ.

Social

Economic

CATEGORY

• Formally  Recognised  Significance  

• Rare  or  Threatened  Species/Communities  

• Naturalness  

• Landscape  Features  

• Activity  

• Place  

• People  

• Other  Resources  

• Water  

• Power  Generation  

MEASURES

(EXAMPLE)

• Signif  Fauna  

• Signif  EVCs  

• Signif  Flora  

Asset  based  approach    –  AVIRA  database  

•   Assets  •   river  reaches,  estuaries  and  wetlands  •   Linked  to  ISC,  IWC,  IEC  

•   Consistent  set  of    •   Values  (+40)  •   Threats  (15-­‐20)  •   Data  collecBon  methods  and  scoring  rules  

   

Value Type

Category Measure Metric

Descriptor Value Score

Social Activity Recreational Fishing

Listed as a priority/key/popular fishery in a Regional Fishery Management Plan OR Rated as a ‘best fishing water’ in A Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria

5

Some recreational fishing occurs 3

Not known to be used for recreational fishing 1

Not suitable for recreational fishing 0

High Value Waterway

Descriptor Data Descriptor

Yes International Significance – listed as a key feature of a Ramsar site Listed

No Not listed as a key feature of a Ramsar site Not Listed

Data Sources: Ramsar Site Strategic Management Plans Australian Wetlands Database http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database

Threat Score

Descriptor Data Descriptor

Small Streams (bankfull width ≤ 15m wide)

Large Streams (bankfull width ≥ 15m wide)

5 < 5m < 0.25 x baseflow width 1

4 5 - 10m (0.25 x baseflow width) - (< 0.5 x baseflow width)

2

3 > 10 - 30m (0.5 x baseflow width) - (< 1.5 x baseflow width)

3

2 > 30 - 40m (1.5 x baseflow width)- (< 3 x baseflow width)

4

1 > 40m > 3 x baseflow width 5

Data Source: 3ISC Width of Vegetation Indicator

Priority  waterways  

Program  Logic  for  target  seMng  

 AspiraBonal  

 Value  based  (aspiraBonal)  

 ReducBon  in  threats  (measurable)  

   e.g.  km  riparian  fencing                  ha  revegetaBon  

Regional  goals  

•   Developed  by  each  CMA  •   20-­‐year  +  Bmeframe  •   Conceptual  or  qualitaBve  link  to  management  outcomes  

•   Region  wide  to  drive  priority  se?ng  •   4  –  5  goals  (generally)  

Using  goals  to  iden&fy  priority  waterways  

•   Protect  and  enhance  threatened  fish  populaBons  in  the  GHCMA  region  •   Score  of  4  or  5  for  Significant  fish,  with  three  or  more  species  idenBfied.    

•   Presence  of  Glenelg  Spiny  Crayfish    •   Presence  of  Variegated  Pygmy  Perch  

•   Protect  and  enhance  high  value  recreaBon  fishing  through  habitat  protecBon  •   Criteria  :  Score  of  5  for  RecreaBonal  fishing  

SeMng  targets  

AVIRA  soOware  applica&on  

Risk  and  Feasibility  

Management  op&on  models  

•   IdenBfied  links  between  threats  and  acBviBes  •   Allowed  CMAs  to  transparently  idenBfy  acBons  to  address  threats  linked  to  the  regional  goals  

•   Included  raBng  of  effecBveness  and  esBmated  response  Bme  

Works  program  database  

•   Built  around  data  outputs  from  AVIRA  •   Incorporated  the  management  opBon  models  •   Incorporated  standards  for  reporBng  of  ‘outputs’  from  DELWP  

•   Included  custom  reports  for  works  programs    •   PotenBal  use  for  MER  

On-­‐line  strategies  

Acknowledgements  

•   Trent  Wallis    and  Kelly  Snell  (Corangamite  CMA)  •   Simone  Wilkie  (Riverness  Pty  Ltd)  •   Adam  Bester  and  Dr  Helen  Arundel  (Glenelg  Hopkins  CMA)  

•   Dr  Amber  Clark  (Department  of  Environment,  Land,  Water  and  Planning)  

Thankyou    

Further  informaBon  greg.peters@riverness.com.au  

www.riverness.com.au