Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, with the involvement of partners and the community, is close to finalising its River Health Strategy.
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, with the involvement of partners and the community, is close to finalising its River Health Strategy.
The draft document will be released for public comment at the end of March 2004.
It draws together a series of documents including the “draft” Goulburn Broken WaterQuality Strategy, Wetlands Strategy as well as a series of discussion papers about the health and condition of the catchment’s waterways.
About $3.5 million in State and Federal funding is spent annually to improve river health by Goulburn Broken CMA.
Goulburn Broken CMA Chair, Stephen Mills, said he hoped that when complete the comprehensive document would lead to further government funding in the catchment’s waterways.
Mr Mills said it was important that the strategy captured the views and priorities of the community. He said dozens of community members had been involved in developing the various documents that provided the basis for the strategy while a further 50 people had already had input into the River Health Strategy via Goulburn Broken CMA’s community based committees.
Mr Mills said partner agencies such as Goulburn-Murray Water; the Department of Sustainability and Environment; and the Environment Protection Authority had also assisted in developing the strategy.
The wider community will have the chance to comment on the draft document at public meetings to be held as part of a month long consultation period following its release at the end of February.
Meanwhile, a number of the discussion papers that are forming the basis of the Draft Strategy can be found on the GB CMA website www.gbcma.vic.gov.au. Interested people requiring more information can also telephone GB CMA Manager Riverine Strategies Wayne Tennanton (03) 58 222288.
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For more information telephone Wayne Tennanton (03) 58 212 651.