NSW Water Quality and River Flow Objectives |
 About the Objectives |
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| Contents | Background | Consultation | Objectives | WQOs | RFOs | Glossary | Bibliography| Map |
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.
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.
Water Quality ObjectivesProtection of:
River Flow Objectives
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Protect pools in dry times |
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Protect natural low flows |
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Maintain natural flow variability |
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Minimise effects of weirs and other structures |
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Minimise effects of dams on water quality |
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.
Water Quality Objectives Protection of:
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Aquatic ecosystems |
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Visual amenity |
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Secondary contact recreation, as a short-term objective, within 5 years |
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Primary contact recreation: assess opportunities to achieve as a longer term objective, 10 years or more |
River Flow Objectives
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.
Water Quality ObjectivesProtection of:
River Flow Objectives
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.
Water Quality ObjectivesProtection of:
River Flow Objectives
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.
Water Quality Objectives Protection of:
River Flow Objectives
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.
Water Quality ObjectivesProtection of:
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Aquatic ecosystems |
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Visual amenity |
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Secondary contact recreation |
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Primary contact recreation |
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Aquatic foods (cooked) and commercial shellfish production |
River Flow Objectives
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Maintain wetland and floodplain inundation |
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Manage groundwater for ecosystems |
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Minimise effects of weirs and other structures |
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Maintain or rehabilitate estuarine processes and habitats |
This page was published 1 May 2006
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