 Estuary
Management Planning Shoalhaven River - 2004
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Shoalhaven River | 2004 Indicator description
Shoalhaven River
Environmental Overview
Environmental Issues and
Pressures
Recent Studies
Recent Projects that have been Completed in the Design Stages
UoW Environmental
Science Research Projects
Environmental Overview
The Shoalhaven River Estuary has a catchment of 7,300 sq km. It
is the largest NSW coastal river south of Sydney. The estuary extends from the
ocean at Crookhaven Heads and Shoalhaven Heads 49 km upstream to Burrier, with
one large tributary joining from the north (Broughton Creek), and several small
estuaries further west. The coastal plain represents approximately 5% of the
catchment. The river is freshwater upstream of Burrier.
Almost 70% of the Shoalhaven River catchment retains its natural
vegetation (50% of the catchment is managed by NSW National Parks), 27% is rural
and only around 3% urbanised. The majority of the upper river catchment is in
National Park, which means that the water quality for the freshwater portion of
the river is excellent. The resident population of the catchment was around
40,000 in 2001, however, the catchment has been identified as one that could
grow rapidly in the near future.
In 1998 a NSW Healthy Rivers Commission
(HRC) inquiry was undertaken into the management of the river. Subsequent
recommendations were made for the ongoing management of the river system.
The Final Report identified five key areas that need
to be better managed:
Initial stages have commenced in the drafting of an Estuary
Management Plan for the Shoalhaven River estuary. The primary aims of this plan
are:
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To ensure that water quality in the estuary is adequate for
the protection of aquatic ecosystems, visual amenity, primary contact
recreation, secondary contact recreation, and human consumers of cooked fish,
shellfish and crustaceans;
-
To minimize the erosion of soil from the catchments and
creek banks and to protect the estuary from excessive sedimentation;
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To maintain or, where appropriate, restore the ecological
integrity and biodiversity of the estuary, their foreshores and their
catchments;
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To alleviate flooding impacts on Shoalhaven Heads and
Greenwell Point. (Refer to Entrance Management Plan);
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To ensure that recreational activities do not have undue
effects on the nature and enjoyment of the area; and
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To maintain, rehabilitate where necessary and enhance where
appropriate, the high visual qualities of the estuary.
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Environmental Issues and Pressures
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Various areas within the catchment have potential acid
sulfate soils, which need to be well managed to minimize the potential damage
to the floodplain ecosystem;
-
In order to protect water quality within the estuary it is
essential to efficiently manage and dispose of wastewater;
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Urban expansion around Nowra, the main service town for the
South Coast, continues on both sides of the river. Although the town and
its ‘suburbs’ are sewered, there continues to be general pollution and
sediment impact from the township;
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Various industries located along the river have the
potential to impact negatively upon the river if not well managed;
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Bank erosion and management is an ongoing issue for the
Shoalhaven River;
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Flood mitigation structure maintenance and flood planning;
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Motorised boating has the potential to contribute to river
bank / foreshore erosion and impact negatively on seagrass beds and other
particularly important fish habitat areas. Continuing to recognise the
community's substantial enjoyment of boating on the Shoalhaven River,
motorised boats will continue to be permitted to use the river up to Grady's
Riverside Retreat (close to the river’s tidal limit), with appropriate speed
and wash zones restrictions. They will, however, be prohibited from the
small tidal waterways of Cabbage Tree Creek, Monday Mundamia Creek and
Bangalee Creek;
-
The Healthy Rivers Commission (HRC) concluded that
maintenance of natural variations in entrance conditions should be adopted as
the primary principle underlying the management of Shoalhaven Heads. To this
end they concluded that the establishment of a permanent opening should not be
pursued. To protect low-lying areas in the vicinity of the Heads from
flooding the 'dry notch' should be maintained at approximately the 2m AHD
(either by natural breaching or by mechanical opening);
-
Berrys Canal has a dynamic nature and the HRC has
recommended that neither complete closure of the canal nor maintenance of its
present shape through major engineering works should be pursued; and
-
Sydney Water’s proposal to extract water from the river to
supplement Sydney water storages could result in significant impact on the
river.
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Recent Studies
Recent studies that
have been completed or are nearing completion are:
Upper Shoalhaven River Water Users Study This study
aims to define existing recreational usage, conflicts, impacts and adequacy of
shore based facilities, define existing commercial use of waterways and
foreshore areas, estimate future demand and constraints, identify and define
ecological factors, and prepare a suitable management strategy that allows for
future development.
Shoalhaven River Foreshore Definition Study This study
aims to identify sensitive areas of the Shoalhaven River, draft strategies for
the protection of these areas, and prepare a waterway management plan for the
full length of the river.
Entrance Management Policy and Review
of Environmental Factors This policy
aims to alleviate flooding impacts on Shoalhaven Heads and Greenwell Point by
the use of a “dry notch” weir across the beach berm at Shoalhaven Heads. The
study includes a review of environmental factors.
Lower Shoalhaven River Floodplain Risk Management Study This study aims
to develop a sustainable plan of management for the floodplain and reduce the
flood hazards/risks for existing and future users of the floodplain.
Stormwater Management Plan review This management
plan for the city includes the Lower Shoalhaven River catchment and aims to
improve water quality and river health by identifying practical short and
long-term solutions to mitigate the environmental impacts of stormwater
discharges
2003 Greenwell Point Erosion Study This study aims
to develop bank management options, based on the definition of erosion
mechanisms, and provide conceptual designs of appropriate control measures in
the Greenwell Point area.
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Recent Projects that have been
Completed in the Design Stages are:
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2004- 2006 Data Compilation Study and
Estuary Management Plan development DIPNR / SCC $120,000;
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2003-2005 Terara Levee restoration
design and construction DIPNR / SCC $700,000;
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2004-2005 Nowra Sailing Club - foreshore
rehabilitation DIPNR / SCC $25,000;
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2004-2006 Greenwell Point- foreshore
rehabilitation DIPNR / SCC $150,000;
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2004-2005 Crookhaven River: mangrove /
salt marsh protective fencing CMA/ Fisheries/ landowner project $25,000;
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2004-2005 Bomaderry Creek: foreshore
rehabilitation CMA/ SCC project $25,000; and
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2003 ongoing: Mangrove Planting Program
SCC/DIPNR/ Shoalhaven Riverwatch $10,000
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University of Wollongong Environmental Science Research
Projects
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Conceptual Model for the Evaluation
of Small-Scale Remnant Patches of Vegetation as Potential Habitat for Arboreal
Marsupials - Quality Environmental Management Pty Ltd.
Author: Angela Baker
-
A GIS Assessment of Historical
ChanneI instability, Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales - Department of Land and
Water Conservation. Author: Corrine Brown
To obtain a full copy of these reports or more information
contact Environmental Science, University of Wollongong.
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Surface Water Quality Shoalhaven River
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