Macquarie RiverSmart initiative
Some the challenges and issues to be addressed through the Macquarie RiverSmart initiative.
Helping native fish come back by allowing passage through weirs, providing more snags, reducing carp and willows and improving water quality.
Reducing willow invasions, such as here in Wellington, where removal has begun to return the river to how it once was. See below for more about the willow problem.
Inform the community about what's being done to help improve the health of the Macquarie river.
RiverSmart also aims to address water quality in stormwater and run-off. Gross pollutant traps to reduce litter in the river and RiverSmart homes, schools, farms and business initiatives - see advice regarding these via the links below.
RiverSmart's way of operating is to help establish community-based programs within urban and rural areas that help 'connect' people with their nearby rivers, wetlands and lakes so they take on a stewardship role and also take steps to reduce the collective 'river footprint' of the community.
This involves not only facilitating the establishment of rehabilitation reaches but also the development of RiverSmart schools, businesses, farms, homes etc initiatives within each community where projects are established. These are tailored to suit the local issues, concerns and priorities of the local population and landholders.
The Macquarie RiverSmart campaign sees us working with a range of stakeholders to help advance the development of rehabilitation reach focussed around Dubbo in the central west of NSW. Key players in this initiative will include, but not be limited to the following:
Dubbo Macquarie River Bushcare Inc.
Central West Catchment Management Authority
Dubbo City Council
Mid Macquarie Landcare
NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries Ecosystem Branch
Grow Dubbo
Dubbo Field Naturalist and Conservation Society
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Wellington Council
Narromine Council
Dubbo Field Naturalists and Conservation Society
Dubbo City Development Corporation
Little River Landcare Group
In addition, discussions are soon to commence to establish complementary RiverSmart homes, schools, businesses and farms initiatives in the towns along the Macquarie river. As we have more details to report they will be provided here.
RiverSmart is also about recreational opportunities along the river. Removing willows here will making for better and safer swimming.
Willows, willows and more willows !