Project summaries - 2007 Urban Sustainability - urban waterways grants
Auburn Council
Sustainability water management in the Duck River Catchment
Partners: Parramatta City Council, Bankstown City Council
Grant: $1,829,100
This project assesses total water cycle management options for the Duck River Catchment which includes the local government areas (LGAs) of Auburn, Bankstown and Parramatta. It will look at the total water budget for the catchment, addressing the current and future demand for water and the availability/feasibility of water from varying alternative sources such as sewer mining, stormwater, groundwater and industry. It will also identify environmental flows for the Duck River. The study will be used to identify opportunities and options for water reuse and recycling within the catchment area for the three councils. The second stage of the project involves implementing preferred options identified from stage one. These will be sites that clearly demonstrate best value management for water demand across open space and recreational areas within the catchment. In addition this project will emphasise capacity building based on the outcomes from previous related grant funded projects.
Blue Mountains City Council
BM living catchments - sustaining our natural and social capital
Grant: $249,322
Blue Mountains living catchments (BMLC) is an innovative approach to whole of catchment management and is based on the national and NSW award winning Yosemite Creek Restoration Project (YCRP). Living catchments will target Wentworth Falls and Glenbrook catchments and aims to holistically treat a range of natural resource management issues associated with urban environments giving protection to the surrounding World Heritage listed national park. A second key aim is to deliver real social change and environmental improvement by providing incentives linked to community capacity building that will achieve water, waste and energy efficiencies. Living catchments will build upon the Urban Runoff Control Program (UCRP), and will contribute to the success of three existing programs - Glenbrook Lagoon Restoration Project, Upland Swamps Restoration Program and Sustainability Street.
Blue Mountains City Council
S.O.S. - saving our swamps
Grant: $248,634
S.O.S - saving our swamps will manage and conserve within the Blue Mountains and Lithgow LGAs the nationally threatened Temperate Highland Peat Swamps ecological community. The Temperate Highland Peat Swamps include three NSW listed ecologically endangered communities (EECs) and support 10 species of threatened fauna or flora. The project will fulfil its objectives by delivering in four key areas:
1. community education targeting interest groups, private landholders and schools;
2. capacity building through education and provision of incentives to undertake works on private land;
3. co-ordination of public and government recovery actions for the swamp and 10 threatened species; and
4. improved partnerships forged between community, councils and state agencies. S.O.S has strong linkages with and value adds to two major programs - the Upland Swamp Restoration Program and Sustainability Street - that are underway in the Blue Mountains.
Ku-ring-gai Council
Riparian improvement, stormwater treatment and reuse: Bicentennial Park
Grant: $250,000
Loftberg Quarry Creek, located in West Pymble, is one of Ku-ring-gai Council's most degraded urban streams. This project will construct a range of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) features including a stormwater reuse scheme to irrigate Loftberg Oval with up to 3.5ML of water per year. This project contributes to Sydney's first catchment wide retrofit of an urban area to demonstrate the benefits of WSUD. It will improve the environmental condition and ecological health of the local waterways and contribute to the growing body of knowledge of urban stream and water management from an environmental, social and economic perspective.
Lake Macquarie City Council
"Making connections" in Cocked Hat Creek
Grant: $240,132
The Northlakes Estate is typical of many large modern residential housing estates. Running through the middle of the 1500 recent homes (with 2800 more homes to be build over the next 10 years) is Cocked Hat Creek. The creek is typical of most urban streams; the upper reaches are being degraded by erosion, weeds and encroachment, whilst the downstream reaches have been significantly modified into a concrete channel. Typically, the residents of Northlakes don't make any connection with the creek (considered as a drain) or their catchment. However, the creek's prominent location poses a great opportunity for Council to re-establish both a physical connection for the creek, and reconnect the residents with their local environment on an emotional scale through engaging them in the importance of creeks, water issues and other environmental living principles. By "Making connections", Council hopes to improve the health of the creek and catchment, as well as influencing the lives of local residents and improving the Lake Macquarie environment.
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Page last updated: 27 February 2011
