Key activities in 2022-23 to support Outcome 1

The Office supports Outcome 1 by having a coordinated approach to regional catchment management and by implementing the ACT Healthy Waterways program to improve water quality in the ACT. To assist in sustaining freshwater ecosystems, environmental flows continue to be managed in accordance with the ACT Environmental Flow Guidelines. The EPSDD assesses the impact of implementing the ACT Water Strategy by monitoring the health of ACT lakes and waterways with support from the community and other organisations.

A coordinated approach to regional catchment management

The Office worked with regional networks and groups, including the Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Network (UMCN), the ACT and Region Catchment Management Coordination Group (the Coordination Group), and the Australian River Restoration Centre, to support catchment management and regional water security issues. Discussions within the Coordination Group have highlighted the plight of the Upper Murrumbidgee River and EPSDD is working with the regional groups to promote cross-border solutions to restore river flow.

Constructed wetlands and other activities to improve water quality

The ACT Healthy Waterways program is an ACT Government initiative to improve the quality of water entering lakes and waterways and flowing downstream into the Murrumbidgee River system.

The ACT Healthy Waterways program includes the construction of infrastructure, such as wetlands, ponds and rain gardens, as well as research trials, campaigns targeting polluting behaviours, and improvements to water monitoring practices. ‘Stage 2’ of ACT Healthy Waterways is underway and includes a $14 million capital investment by the ACT Government.

• In 2022-23, the ACT Healthy Waterways program delivered multiple activities and infrastructure projects.
  • Construction was finished for a set of four bioretention swales, placed around the Kambah Playing Fields to intercept nutrients detected leaking into adjacent stormwater drains.
  • A floating wetland was installed in Yerrabi Pond in February 2023.
  • Detailed designs and development approvals were completed for the next six priority water quality wetlands and other infrastructure to be built in the second half of 2023. Development approvals are being sought for an additional four projects to be built in 2024.
• The program also funded or delivered non-capital projects to improve water quality.
  • A restoration plan and activities in the Naas and Gudgenby river system, targeting mitigations for soil and streambank erosion and sedimentation in the river channels.
  • Investigations into fertiliser used by households and businesses, which will be used to design ongoing education campaigns.
  • Research into the sources of pollution in the Lake Tuggeranong catchment.
  • Continued development of modelling and reporting tools for Lake Burley Griffin and Lake Tuggeranong to better manage water quality.

Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate (TCCSD) supported the objectives of the ACT Healthy Waterways program by maintaining stormwater assets.

• Operating and maintaining constructed wetlands.
• Removing debris from gross pollutant traps (GPTs) and the underground stormwater pipe network to reduce organic matter entering waterways.
• Removing silt from stormwater quality control ponds.
• Restoring cut-off drains located at the base of mountains, ridges and hills.
• Delivering a comprehensive street sweeping program to reduce leaf and organic loads entering the stormwater network and waterways.

TCCSD tasks in addition to the ongoing stormwater asset management activities in 2022-23.

• Implemented audit of recommendations from GPT performance reviews and developed a staged capital works program to deliver remaining recommendations in future years.
• Inspected suburb development sites in Molonglo Valley to support the enforcement activities of the Environment Protection Authority that aimed to reduce silt and sediment loads entering waterways.

Managing stream flows in the ACT to sustain freshwater ecosystems

Environmental flows assist in the maintenance of water quality and aquatic ecosystems throughout ACT catchments. Requirements are set out in the ACT’s Environmental Flow Guidelines and regulated flows are managed under licence conditions held by Icon Water, the Territory’s utility operator that provides essential drinking water and sewerage services. All environmental flows from the Corin, Bendora, Cotter and Googong reservoirs were achieved and, in cases, exceeded for the 2021–22 reporting period (reporting for 2022–23 was not available at the time of publishing this report card).

Monitoring the health of ACT lakes and waterways

ACT lakes and waterways are monitored by EPSDD, external organisations and the community. This information is used to better understand the impact water quality improvement activities are having on the environment.

• The Waterwatch program provides opportunities for citizen scientists to monitor the health of ACT waterways and reports on findings in an annual Catchment Health Indicator Program (CHIP) report. The Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch 2022 CHIP report is based on 1,992 water quality surveys, 192 waterbug surveys and 232 riparian condition surveys conducted by over 200 volunteers. The report found that:
  • Out of 97 report cards, 8 are in 'excellent' health, 44 were 'good', 44 presented as 'fair' and 1 received a 'poor' rating (Tuggeranong Creek).
  • 54% of reaches fell into the excellent/good range which is the best result in the CHIP’s eight-year history, breaking the previous record set in 2021.
• The EPSDD conducts research and provides scientific advice on local flora and fauna, ecological and natural resource management, biodiversity monitoring, threatened species reintroductions and recovery plans. The following monitoring and research activities at ACT lakes and waterways were conducted this year:
  • Monitoring the Murrumbidgee fish community to advise on the health of fish species, including threatened species (Macquarie Perch, Trout Cod and Murray Crayfish), angling species (Golden Perch and Murray Cod) and other native species (Smelt and Carp Gudgeon). This program also monitors for changes in alien species (Carp and European Perch) and provides advice on river restoration actions and environmental flow requirements.
  • Monitoring fish in the Cotter River to adaptively modify environmental flows and advise on relevant catchment management and restoration activities.
  • Monitoring the recovery of aquatic species, including the Mountain Galaxias and the Two-spined Blackfish, following fires in 2020 to inform management decisions.
  • Conducting research projects on water plants to understand the importance and distribution of water dependent in stream plants in ACT water bodies.
  • Stocking urban lakes (including Lake Ginninderra, Lake Tuggeranong, Yerrabi Pond and Gungahlin Pond) with native fish species (Murray Cod and Golden Perch). The stocking of these species helps to balance lake ecosystems by introducing native predators to compete with pest species such as Carp, which are known to reduce the water quality of urban lakes. Stocked lakes are monitored to assess the success of native fish and changes in the fish community.
• The EPSDD continues to monitor the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions for endangered High-Country Bogs and Associated Fens, installed after the 2020 Orroral fire. Rehabilitation interventions aim to prevent erosion and incision, increase peat wetness and promote revegetation. In 2022-23 all priority sites were visited by ACT Parks and Conservation Service staff along with Australian National University researchers. Monitoring results continue to indicate that the installed shade cloths have been effective at promoting recovery and survival of Sphagnum moss and associated vegetation. Leaky weir structures have been effective in slowing stream flow and promoting pooling and dispersion.
• Icon Water contributes to monitoring water quality and quantity in catchments and shares this monitoring data with the ACT Government to support catchment management programs. Key activities included:
  • Monitoring of Macquarie Perch in the Cotter Dam for the development approval conditions of the Enlarged Cotter Dam project. An annual spawning management plan meeting was held in September 2022.
  • An annual Biological Monitoring Program was undertaken to determine the potential impact of the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre operations. Over the 2021-22 period, no significant impacts were detected at the Molonglo River or Murrumbidgee River (reporting for 2022-23 was not available at the time of publishing this report card).
• The Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach (UMDR) is a partnership initiative that works collaboratively with catchment stakeholders within the Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment to protect and enhance aquatic communities and ecosystems. With support from external organisations and funding sources, the UMDR conducts critical monitoring work in the Upper Murrumbidgee River extending beyond the boundaries of the ACT region. In 2022-23, this work included surveys of the threatened Two-spined Blackfish and monitoring the possible incursion of European Perch, which poses a biosecurity threat to Macquarie Perch populations.

Key activities planned for 2023-24 to support Outcome 1

• The ACT Healthy Waterways program will focus on:
  • Drafting a catchment plan for the Lake Tuggeranong catchment that will outline management actions to be pursed to prevent blue-green algal blooms in the lake.
  • Continued research into the sources of poor water quality in Canberra urban waterways.
  • Building 8 priority water quality assets.
  • Extending the Leaf Collective public education campaign across Canberra.
  • Increasing efforts to reduce fertiliser use and the amount of grass entering drains in catchments through internal cross-Directorate collaborations and external engagement with public and private landowners.
  • Investigating good practice in the operations and maintenance of Water Sensitive Urban Design infrastructure.
• TCCSD will continue to maintain stormwater assets with a preventative maintenance program to reduce nuisance flooding, developing stormwater pipe network augmentation and renewal plans, and developing operation and maintenance programs for Healthy Waterways assets.
• EPSDD will continue to conduct research, monitoring and stocking activities at ACT lakes and waterways. Refinement and initial trials of the Riparian Condition Assessment tool will also be conducted by EPSDD to monitor the condition of riparian vegetation.
• The EPSDD will undertake the next monitoring and maintenance regime for High Country Bogs and Associated Fens in spring 2023, consistent with the ACT Sphagnum Bog Rehabilitation and Monitoring Plan (2020–31) (17.1 MB).
• Icon Water will continue to work collaboratively with land and water management agencies in the ACT region and collect water quality and quantity data from catchments.

Supporting references

• ACT and Region Catchment Management Coordination Group Annual Report 2021-22 (2.9 MB)
• ACT Sphagnum Bog Rehabilitation and Monitoring Plan (2020–31) (17.1 MB)
• Icon Water – Drinking Water Quality Report 2021–22
• Icon Water - Environmental Flows Annual Compliance Report 2021-2022
• Icon Water - Protecting our water supply
• Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch 2022 CHIP report
• Water Resources Environmental Flow Guidelines 2019 (No 2)

Key activities in 2022-23 to support Outcome 2

Outcome 2 activities conducted by the Office of Water and Icon Water are critical in supporting the sustainable use of water within the ACT.

The Office of Water and water sustainability

• The Office commenced the ACT Water Security Vulnerability Assessment Project (VA Project) to holistically assess the current and future vulnerability of ACT’s water resources and water-dependent socio-ecological systems. The project considers vulnerability of four themes of water security in the ACT Water Management Areas:
  1. Water supply and demand (including potable water, non-potable water and environmental water)
  2. Water quality
  3. Aquatic and riparian ecosystems
  4. Water-related socio-economic values.
  The outcomes of the VA Project will support future adaptation strategies, water policies and planning.
• The ACT Government released the Non-potable Water Review (the Review) in 2021, which investigated the impact of non-potable water costs on high intensity club users (those licenced to take more than 3,000 kL /year). The Office of Water is engaging with stakeholders on potential policy options to support the ACT Government response to the Review.
• To manage and promote the efficient and sustainable use of water services and confidence in national reporting, the Office is refreshing the non-urban water metering policy. This update incorporates the following new requirements:
  • Use of pattern approved meters;
  • Validation of meter installations by a certified person;
  • Ongoing meter maintenance and accuracy testing; and,
  • Improved reporting and notification requirements for licence holders.

Icon Water and water security

• Icon Water updated their water security modelling, which shows that ACT water security could be optimised further in the medium to long term. From this modelling work, Icon Water updated their operation of the water supply system and progressed investigations into future water sources.
• Icon Water continued to support water sustainability research through a Perpetual Endowment Fund with the Australian National University.
• Icon Water’s Drought Management Plan sets out actions required to prepare for extreme drought conditions. In 2022-23, Icon Water progressed actions identified in the Drought Management Plan, including commencing investigations into the feasibility of groundwater and purified recycled water as drought response measures.

Key activities planned for 2023-24 to support Outcome 2

The Office and Icon Water will continue to develop a plan of action to support the long-term water security of the ACT, including the:

• Water resource assessment
• Refresh of the ACT Water Strategy and
• Integrated water and catchment planning.

Supporting references

Non-potable Water Review Final Report.

Key activities in 2022-23 to support Outcome 3

The ACT Government works with the ACT community to use water efficiently, and to ensure safe, clean water for recreation and the environment. The EPSDD continues to work with the First Nations community to advance intrinsic water interests and rights. The EPSDD and external organisations provide opportunities for the community to engage with water issues and care for local waterways. Community engagement has been essential in progressing catchment management and restoration work within the Territory. The continuous support from the ACT community has been critical in assisting the implementation of ACT Water Strategy activities.

First Nations water initiatives

• The Office is working together with Traditional Custodians to co-design a new Ngunnawal Ngadjung Water Initiative. The Ngunnawal Ngadjung Water Initiative will set out a program of activities to be conducted in partnership to progress the aspirations of the Ngunnawal people in water resource management. Consultation on the design of the Initiative will continue into 2023-24. The Ngunnawal Ngadjung Water Initiative aims to:
  • Build the cultural economy through access to water entitlements and licences and establishing a framework for water use
  • Support the integration of traditional value and uses in waterway management, for example cultural flows and
  • Strengthen Ngunnawal participation in policy, planning and program delivery.
• The EPSDD and the First Nations community co-designed a new Cultural Resource Management Plan to support and empower First Nations people to access stone, ochre, plant and water resources for cultural use. This plan also supports First Nations people to:
  • Identify their resource use needs to fulfil cultural practices and obligations
  • Identify the required governance and protocols to ensure that resource collection is compliant with relevant legislation (Nature Conservation Act 2014 (ACT), Fisheries Act 2000 (ACT) and Heritage Act 2004 (ACT)) and
  • Supports a transition to co-management of the ACT Parks and Reserves estate.
• The Aboriginal Water Assessment (AWA) is a First Nations-led and community-driven tool developed to advance First Nation’s rights and interests in water planning, policy and legislation. The tool was developed collaboratively with the Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations, the Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. The AWA enables Traditional Custodians to use a cultural lens to assess the health of Country and set priorities for water and natural resource management. The questions and outcomes of the AWA tool are organised into three sections: waterway health, cultural values and uses, and summary and objectives.
• Since August 2022, the Ngunnawal Ngadjung Water Project Officer within the Office of Water has supported three Assessments with the First Nations community across 6 sites. Assessments have also been conducted along the Murrumbidgee River outside of the ACT.

Educational activities and community engagement

• The Waterwatch program educates schools and the community on issues related to catchment health, supporting a community that cares for their local catchments. In 2022-23:
  • Over 1,500 students from nearly 50 different schools and educational groups across the ACT region experienced a Waterwatch education activity.
  • Waterwatch has been present at an additional 20 education and community events and forums raising awareness and helping the community connect with their local waterways. These events include Clean Up Australia Day events, the Schools Climate Action Conference, the ACT Schools Careers Expo and the ‘World of Water Bugs’ holiday events at Tidbinbilla.
• The ACT Government provides funds for the three ACT Catchment Groups (Ginninderra Catchment Group, Molonglo Conservation Group and Southern ACT Catchment Group). These catchment groups support hundreds of community volunteers to engage in stewardship of ACT river and lake catchments, share information specific to stormwater pollution with the wider ACT community, and provide general community engagement and environmental education activities related to catchment health.
• The H2OK program aims to reduce pollutants entering waterways by educating and engaging with the community. Key educational activities included:
  • A Drain Stencilling program, conducted in partnership with catchment groups, involved stencilling stormwater drain covers in select shopping centres with educational messages.
  • The Leaf Collective, a community-based partnership program designed by Canberrans in collaboration with Griffith University and supported by the ACT Government, raised awareness about the importance of keeping leaf litter out of stormwater drain and how it can instead be used in gardens.
  • The Schools DrainART Competition engaged students from year 5 to year 12 to learn about nutrient pollution causes and solutions.
• The Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Network (UMCN) is a network of individuals, community groups, businesses and organisations (government and non-government) committed to improving natural resource management in the Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment. The UMCN is strongly supported by core funding from the Coordination Group. Water management, including improving water quality and security, is a priority issue for the network.
  • On 16 November 2022, UMCN hosted the Working Together for the River stakeholder forum. This forum included presentations from regional natural resource management groups, property owners, research and academia, NSW Government water agencies, and Snowy Hydro.
  • UMCN has continued to hold quarterly General Meetings focusing on community and stakeholder education and engagement, and supporting the knowledge exchange of key catchment and water management issues.
• The UMDR facilitated community involvement in activities to raise awareness and improve fish habitat and river health in the Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment, supported by funding from the Native Fish Strategy's Upper Murrumbidgee Recovery Reach project via the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s joint programs. Key activities in 2022-23 included:
  • Online webinars held in association with the Australian River Restoration Centre on topics such as managing box elder (an emerging and aggressively spreading riparian weed) and the ACT Government's Galaxiid monitoring program.
  • The UMDR Adventurous Volunteer Program, supported by the Native Fish Recovery Strategy and Bush Heritage Australia, trained 48 new recruits including an Adventurous Youth Crew in collaboration with Landcare ACT's Improving Wellbeing Through Nature Program. The adventurous volunteers have mapped weeds along 60km of the Upper Murrumbidgee River, carried out weeding and restoration activities, and assisted with environmental flow monitoring research.
• Icon Water’s key educational and community engagement activities included:
  • Online digital education webinars and face to face educational tours as part of the Icon Water Education program.
  • The Free the Poo campaign that was developed to build community awareness of wastewater systems. The messaging in this campaign was also highlighted in the Gallery of Gross and the Blockage Busters video series.
  • Supporting the infrastructure setup for the Landcare Nursery at Westwood Farm with the Southern ACT Catchment Group as part of Icon Water’s Community Support Program.

Catchment management and riparian restoration

Community engagement continues to assist with catchment management and riparian restoration work in the ACT.

• ACT Natural Resource Management (ACT NRM) is one of 56 regional natural resource management organisations across Australia and is hosted in the EPSDD. ACT NRM works with key stakeholders to identify investment priorities, build partnerships, share knowledge and deliver programs. In the 2021-22 and 2022-23 financial years, ACT NRM facilitated two riparian restoration projects.
  • The first project was funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and focused on the restoration of the Naas River as well as riparian farm dam improvements. Activities included fencing the river to reduce stock access, revegetation of riparian areas, erosion control work, practice change activities for landholders and community education.
  • The second project extended these activities into the Gudgenby River and was funded by the ACT Healthy Waterways program.

ACT NRM is also working on a Catchment Management Plan for the Naas and Gudgenby rivers, which were significantly impacted by bushfires in 2019-20.

• The UMDR, with support from other organisations and funding sources, completed on-ground works to improve the health of the Upper Murrumbidgee River including willow removal and fish habitat work, instream work to improve the complexity of habitat in sand affected reaches and riparian weed control.

Key activities planned for 2023-24 to support Outcome 3

• The Office will continue to work with the Traditional Custodians to finalise the ACT’s Cultural Resource Management Plan and the Ngunnawal Ngadjung Water Initiative. Assessments conducted by First Nations people using the AWA tool will continue to occur with support from the Ngunnawal Ngadjung Water Project Officer.
• The H2OK program will continue its partnership with catchment groups and engagement with the community by conducting educational activities on how to reduce pollutants from entering ACT waterways. The H2OK program will also install winning designs from the Schools DrainART Competition on stormwater drain covers in high traffic pedestrian areas.
• UMCN will continue to support better catchment and water management outcomes for the Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment. Key planned activities include ongoing coordination of cross-jurisdictional water management issues and developing an interactive online map to illustrate existing Upper Murrumbidgee governance arrangements across a spectrum of catchment management issues.
• The UMDR will continue to carry out engagement activities that raise community awareness and conduct work that improves the health of the Upper Murrumbidgee River. Key planned activities include raising awareness about the risks associated with the European Perch incursion, educating landholders about riparian weed control, restoration activities as part of the UMDR Adventurous Volunteer Program and catchment management activities.

Supporting resources

• H2OK program fact sheets
• Icon Water Business Strategy 2022–23 to 2025–26
• Icon Water Customer and Community Strategic Engagement Project Report
• Icon Water – Water and wastewater engagement results summary
• UMDR and Australian River Restoration Centre online webinars
• Waterwatch education materials
• Working Together for the River stakeholder forum highlights video, expert panel discussion and presentations