The interdependence between river condition and human use means that the management of our rivers is not an easy task. It requires a delicate balance between using our rivers and maintaining their environmental condition.

Community understanding of the potential impacts of management actions on river condition is vital. 

Transparent decisions need to be made about what purposes we want our rivers to serve, what consequent environmental condition we are prepared to accept and what the implications of that level of environmental condition are for other uses now and into the future.

The Victorian management framework for river health is therefore built on the foundations of community support and involvement, recognising that it is only with long-term support, commitment and a willingness by the community and Government to undergo change that any improvements in Victoria’s rivers can be made. 

Although there are no specific four, ten or twenty year targets for community engagement, the strategy identifies two key outcomes for enhancing community capacity in river health in Victoria. 

They are:

• that the community has an understanding and knowledge about the issues that affect river health
• that the community participates in priority setting and decision making at a catchment level.

The involvement of community groups has been critical to the success of regional river health programs to date. 

Since the strategy was published in 2002, each of the Catchment Management Authorities and Melbourne Water has worked with local communities to develop five-year regional river health strategies. These strategies are built on the foundations of community participation.

Waterwatch Victoria Program

The Waterwatch Victoria Program continues to grow with over 580 individuals regularly monitoring water quality at more than 1,500 sites. Waterwatch Victoria is a successful community engagement program connecting local communities with river health and sustainable water issues and management. (see Waterwatch Victoria Website). 

Waterwatch Victoria is proudly coordinated by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, and it continues to build important links between regional and local organisations, including CMAs, water businesses, local government, private business, the scientific community and the education sector.