Stream Management Policy
We have recently carried out an extensive survey of 26 of the city's main urban streams and as a result are now in a position to focus our management efforts where we will get the best “bang for our buck”.
This draft policy will be further developed once options for achieving our objectives have been assessed, and cost implications and public views are known.
Objective
- Protect and enhance those urban streams which are in the best ecological condition, manage others for amenity reasons and the rest according to the principles of Best Practicable Option.
Approach
- Assess the city’s urban streams in terms of their ecological health and their value to the community.
- Impose stormwater controls in selected stream catchments.
- Develop management plans and focus enhancement efforts on selected streams.
Benefits
- Streams that are still in a good environmental condition will be given highest priority.
- Scarce funds will be directed to those streams where the most benefit can be achieved.
- Further erosion of our streams will be reduced.
- An overall better environment for the city.
Implications
- Stricter stormwater requirements for any new or re-development in selected stream catchments.
- When development occurs the developer will be required to provide on-site mitigation at a cost of between $5,000 - $20,000 per site. (This is the same as that required by the Approved Stormwater Outfall Policy.)
- Properties bordering streams may be affected by stream management initiatives such as stream bank stabilisation, weed removal and riparian planting. Roles and responsibilities for the management of streams, ie. Private of public, will be clarified.
- Restoration and enhancement efforts will be focused on selected streams while others see no benefit.
Stream Management Policy PDF 
(51KB)
Council report: Infrastructure and Environment Committee November 23, 2004. PDF (136KB)
Resolution: Infrastructure and Environment Committee November 23, 2004. PDF (12KB)
Stream Categorisation Report PDF (945KB)
Overview