Catchment action plan reviews

Summary

Prior to the establishment of Local Land Services in January 2014, 13 Catchment Management Authorities developed catchment action plans for their regions. A catchment action plan was a 10-year strategic plan that set direction for all natural resource management activities in a region, including regional strategies, water sharing plans and regional conservation plans.

Between 2006 and 2008, the Commission reviewed 13 catchment action plans and recommended to Government for approval. The Commission's review determined whether each plan complied with the Standard for Quality Natural Resource Management (the standard) and promoted the state-wide targets for natural resource management.

In 2011, the Catchment Management Authorities started upgrading their catchment action plans. The Commission collaborated with government agencies and developed an assessment framework setting out the review process for upgraded plans.

In 2013, the Commission assessed nine upgraded catchment action plans and recommended that Government approve these plans.

The Commission also reported on lessons learned from upgrading plans and developed a Better Practice Guide to help the newly formed Local Land Services adapt these plans to fit their regions.

The Commission reviewed 11 adapted Local Land Services plans to ensure the integrity and intent of original plans was maintained in the transition to Local Land Services.

Key documents

• Better practice guide - Adapting catchment action plans to fit LLS boundaries (August 2013)
• Upgrading catchment action plans - Lessons for Local Land Services (June 2013)
• Framework for assessing upgraded catchment action plans (June 2012)

Upgraded catchment action plan assessment report (2008-2013):
• Border Rivers Gwydir (March 2013)
• Central West (November 2011)
• Hawkesbury-Nepean (June 2013)
• Hunter-Central Rivers (March 2013)
• Lachlan (June 2013)
• Murray (June 2013)
• Murrumbidgee (March 2013)
• Namoi (November 2011)
• Northern Rivers (March 2013)
• Southern Rivers (March 2013)
• Western (June 2013)

Catchment action plan assessment report (2006-2008)
• Border Rivers Gwydir (September 2006)
• Central West (September 2006)
• Hawkesbury-Nepean (November 2006)
• Hunter-Central Rivers (September 2006)
• Lachlan (September 2006)
• Lower Murray Darling (July 2007)
• Murray (November 2006)
• Murrumbidgee (November 2006)
• Namoi (September 2006)
• Northern Rivers (September 2006)
• Southern Rivers (September 2006)
• Sydney Metropolitan (June 2008)
• Western (September 2006)