Bega River
Water Quality and River Flow Objectives

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Water Quality and River Flow Objectives for the Bega River catchment


This section gives the Water Quality Objectives (WQOs) and the River Flow Objectives (RFOs) for the Bega River catchment which should be used to develop plans and actions affecting water quality and river health. Only the priority RFOs are listed in this section, but the remaining objectives still need to be considered when developing flow management plans or dealing with particular local river conditions.

Mainly forested areas

Streams in mainly forested areas are often valued for their conservation or recreational values. They often have relatively natural flows and water quality. Many are in national parks or state forests.

Map: The objectives apply to streams running through areas coloured green on the map (state forests, national parks, any nature reserves); and through other forested areas, if any are defined locally.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Drinking water at point of supply-Disinfection only
Drinking water at point of supply-Clarification and disinfection
Drinking water at point of supply-Groundwater
Aquatic foods (cooked)

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

Protect pools in dry times
Protect natural low flows
Maintain natural flow variability
Minimise effects of weirs and other structures
Minimise effects of dams on water quality

Supporting information

Waterways affected by urban development

Streams within urban areas are often substantially modified and carry poor quality stormwater. Many local communities are keen to see such streams returned to more natural conditions.

Map: Urban development areas are shown in orange or as orange dots on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation, as a short-term objective, within 5 years
Primary contact recreation: assess opportunities to achieve as a longer term objective, 10 years or more

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

Mimic natural drying in temporary waterways
Maintain natural flow variability
Maintain natural rates of change in water levels
Manage groundwater for ecosystems
Minimise effects of weirs and other structures

Supporting information

Uncontrolled streams

Uncontrolled streams and waterbodies are those that are not in estuaries or the other categories. Their flow patterns are largely natural but may have been altered to a limited degree.

Map: Uncontrolled streams are shown as blue lines on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Livestock water supply
Irrigation water supply
Homestead water supply
Drinking water at point of supply-Disinfection only
Drinking water at point of supply-Clarification and disinfection
Drinking water at point of supply-Groundwater
Aquatic foods (cooked)

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

Protect pools in dry times
Protect natural low flows
Protect important rises in water levels
Maintain wetland and floodplain inundation
Mimic natural drying in temporary waterways
Maintain natural flow variability
Manage groundwater for ecosystems
Minimise effects of weirs and other structures

Supporting information

Controlled rivers with altered flow patterns

In these rivers, the average volume of flow is close to natural but patterns of flow are altered by a moderately large dam. Water trapped by the dam is released in a pattern to suit either hydro-electric or downstream demands for town water.

Map: These rivers are shown as pink lines on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Livestock water supply
Irrigation water supply
Homestead water supply
Drinking water at point of supply-Disinfection only
Drinking water at point of supply-Clarification and disinfection
Aquatic foods (cooked)

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

Protect natural low flows
Protect important rises in water levels
Maintain natural flow variability
Maintain natural rates of change in water levels
Manage groundwater for ecosystems
Minimise effects of weirs and other structures
Minimise effects of dams on water quality

Supporting information

Regulated Brogo River

Major regulated rivers, such as the Brogo, have large dams supplying irrigation water (and usually town and industrial water) for substantial distances downstream. They are defined as section 22c streams under the Water Act. Flows are typically supplemented during the irrigation season resulting in fairly stable and unnaturally high water levels. River flow is substantially reduced during non- or low-irrigation seasons and in periods of high flows.

Map: The Brogo River is shown as a yellow line on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Livestock water supply
Irrigation water supply
Homestead water supply
Drinking water at point of supply-Disinfection only
Drinking water at point of supply-Clarification and disinfection
Drinking water at point of supply-Groundwater
Aquatic foods (cooked)

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

Protect natural low flows
Protect important rises in water levels
Maintain wetland and floodplain inundation
Mimic natural drying in temporary waterways
Maintain natural flow variability
Maintain natural rates of change in water levels
Manage groundwater for ecosystems
Minimise effects of weirs and other structures
Minimise effects of dams on water quality
Make water available for unforeseen events

Supporting information

Estuaries

Being dominated by saline conditions, estuaries have hydraulic and water quality characteristics, and potential problems, that are often very different from those of freshwater systems.

Map: Estuaries are coloured purple on the map.

Top of PageWater Quality Objectives

Protection of:

Aquatic ecosystems
Visual amenity
Secondary contact recreation
Primary contact recreation
Aquatic foods (cooked) and commercial shellfish production

Top of PageRiver Flow Objectives

Maintain wetland and floodplain inundation
Manage groundwater for ecosystems
Minimise effects of weirs and other structures
Maintain or rehabilitate estuarine processes and habitats

Supporting information

This page was published 1 May 2006