Catchment management is the key

Australia must develop a catchment management mentality to successfully manage and optimise its water resources, according to Peter Crawford, former top public servant, water authority head and author.

"Our national history is one of many state and Commonwealth water initiatives, which have dealt with some aspect of water management, usually in ways that treated water as if it were a discrete element of a catchment or the environment, capable of being managed in isolation," Crawford said.

"This has led to failed initiatives, poor planning and poor management of water resources, very substantial public costs and extensive community and primary industry confusion and cynicism."

Crawford claims Australia has been very slow to recognise that efforts to plan water supply, use and disposal must occur as facets or sub-sets of catchment planning and management.

"Most Australians support the need for national water reform, with an overall objective similar to that of the current National Water Initiative (NWI) " to achieve a nationally compatible system for managing surface and groundwater resources for rural and urban use that optimises economic, social and environmental outcomes," Crawford said.

"Governments traditionally subdivide major systems such as catchments and their water systems into "manageable units' " such as water supply, environmental standards, forestry and soil conservation activity and so on. So, when ministers and officials meet to tackle the water problems of the nation they are not generally oriented towards thinking and acting systemically.

"Successful catchment and water management requires a clear understanding by the various social partners of their respective roles.

"Worldwide, effective catchment management has involved local communities and stakeholders in identifying problems, setting priorities, discussing alternatives and signing off on major initiatives."

The full text of Dr Crawford's article is available on the website at http://www.atse.org.au/index.php?sectionid=1000.