The Hawkesbury-Nepean River Recovery Program comprised seven projects and has improved river health in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River System in western Sydney by making more water available for the environment and reducing nutrient inputs. This major program’s achievements were formally recognised when it was named winner of two awards – winner of the government category at the 2012 savewater! awards® and winner of the program innovation category at the 2012 Australian Water Association NSW Branch Awards. A comprehensive final report will be published in 2013.
World Rivers Day is celebrated annually on the last Sunday in September. In 2011, and estimated several million people across more than 60 countries celebrated the many values of our waterways.
Sydney’s Tank Stream is significant in Australia’s colonial history, but is now buried in stormwater drains. It is one of many lost waterways around the world that have been buried beneath our urban areas. There are substantial economic, social and environmental benefits of daylighting these lost urban streams. A new website developed by the University of Sheffield (UK) has been developed for practitioners, water managers, policy makers and anyone with an interest in river restoration and sustainable urban design. It is a resource of case studies from all over the world, collating information on the goals and outcomes of daylighting projects. This is helping to share knowledge and expertise across the world, connecting like-minded individuals, and demonstrating the benefits and challenges of daylighting urban streams. Everyone is invited to browse the case study map and add new sites – even if they are only in the planning stage – and connect on Facebook.
After a brief lapse, the well-known RipRap magazine is back with a new look and approach to sharing knowledge. The latest edition is on ‘bringing back native fish’. RipRap started in 1997 and collates and synthesises science and practice around river management themes and presents this knowledge in ways that make it relevant and applicable for policy-makers and practitioners alike.
The River Basin Management Society, in association with the Catchments Australia Foundation, will be hosting the 6th Australian Stream Management Conference (6ASM) in Canberra over 3 days from the 6th to 8th February 2012.
Over the past 10 years most of Australia has experienced either severe drought or devastating floods. Much of Australia has experienced both. Is this a sign of the future? 6ASM will explore the theme of ‘managing for extremes’. Does successful management of stream systems lie in managing for the extremes? What are these extremes, and how do we predict and plan for them? What are the implications for ecological communities and monitoring and evaluation programs? How do we engage with communities and elected leaders to discuss these issues?
In May 2009 the Australian Government announced up to $77.4 million of funding for the Hawkesbury-Nepean River Recovery Program (HNRRP), and I commenced work as Program Manager in June 2009. I concluded the HNRRP at the end of 2011, with the program exceeding its intended outcomes and finishing on time and under budget. The HNRRP has improved river health by making more water available for environmental flows and reducing nutrient inputs to the river system.
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After just over two years of very intensive activity, the Hawkesbury-Nepean River Recovery Program (HNRRP) is coming to an end, having successfully delivered its intended outcomes on time and under budget. The final edition of HNRRP e-news reflects on some of the major achievements from the seven HNRRP projects and celebrates the great work that has been done to improve the health of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment. The Hawkesbury-Nepean river system frames the western edge of the Sydney Basin and is one of New South Wales’ most important natural assets.
Attended by leading scientists, community groups, government agencies and corporate leaders from over 25 nations, the 14th International Riversymposium will explore the multiple reasons that rivers are valuable ranging from economics through to cultural and spiritual values. This year’s program will have a strong focus on the management and recovery of our rivers and waterways, in accordance with the overall theme, The Value of Rivers.
The UK-based Urban River Corridors and Sustainable Living Agendas (URSULA) project is tackling river corridor issues holistically by treating the river and its urban setting as a system. Throughout the project, URSULA is developing innovations, tools and knowledge to help guide the regeneration of urban river corridors worldwide.
The last edition of HNRRP e-news discussed how the Hawkesbury-Nepean River Recovery Program is meeting one of its key objectives – the prevention of an estimated 48.2 tonnes of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) entering the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system each year. In the June 2011 edition of HNRRP e-news we look at our other key objective – securing 7.24 gigalitres (billion litres) per year for additional environmental flows in the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system. You can also read about the HNRRP projects and how they are progressing as the program nears completion.