Managing for river health - integrating watercourse management, environmental water requirements and community participation

The Mid North Rivers Management Planning Project (MNRMPP) of the Environment Protection Agency, Department for Environment and Heritage began as a response to community concerns regarding watercourse related issues in the Mid North of South Australia. In response to these concerns the MNRMPP project team developed rapid, cost effective methods to collect and assess data, establish collaborative partnerships with stakeholder organisations, ensure community involvement, and initiate mechanisms to sustain local involvement past the life of the project. Environmental water requirements were identified, along with key watercourse management issues; the integration of these two components of the study enabled more informed decision making regarding watercourse management within the study area. The integration of these components and the involvement of the community and stakeholders through all components of the project has resulted in a sense of ownership and an increase in awareness of watercourse related issues. This has increased the prospect of individuals and organisations implementing the management options and priorities identified within the plan, and has promoted the long term involvement of these groups in better watercourse management.