 Estuary
Management Planning Shoalhaven River - 2005
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Shoalhaven River | 2005 Indicator description
What does the Data tell us for 2005
Environmental Overview
Environmental
Issues and Pressures
Flood
mitigation structure maintenance and flood planning
Recent studies that have been completed or are nearing completion
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 plane 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:
The Data Compilation
Phase of the Estuary Management Plan (EMP) for the Shoalhaven River estuary has
been completed and the consultant selected to commence the Community
Consultation and drafting of the EMP. 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.
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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.
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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
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.
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.
Various industries located along the river
have the potential to impact negatively upon the river if not well managed.
Bank erosion and management is an ongoing
issue for the Shoalhaven River.
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Flood
mitigation structure maintenance and flood planning.
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. In order to
ameliorate this potential, while continuing to recognise the communities
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 Mia Creek and Bangalee Creek.
The 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.
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 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.
2003 Greys Beach
Reserve Plan of Management
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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 Terrara
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 / saltmarsh protective fencing CMA/ Fisheries/ landowner
project $25,000;
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2004-2005 Bomaderry
Creek: foreshore rehabilitation CMA/ SCC project $25,000;
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2003 ongoing:
Mangrove Planting Program SCC/DIPNR/ Shoalhaven Riverwatch $10,000;
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2005 construction
commenced at Terrara Levee;
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2005 construction
completed at Nowra Sailing Club; and
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2005 construction
commenced Greenwell Point foreshore
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University of
Wollongong Environmental Science Research Projects
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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