National Water Week is a week dedicated to increasing awareness of the value of water across the country. From our beaches to the bush, from major cities to remote communities, water plays a critical role in protecting our environment, supporting food production and industry, as well as a source for health and wellbeing in our communities.
This year’s theme is ‘United by Water’ and celebrates the vital role water plays in connecting all of us.
NRE Tas is delivering Tasmania’s Rural Water Use Strategy in collaboration with key water stakeholders, and takes a science based, long-term approach to looking after the state’s freshwater.
The release of the Rural Water Use Strategy Progress Report 2023 highlights the progress NRE Tas has made in implementing the Rural Water Use Strategy. Key achievements listed in the report include:
A new Groundwater Risk Assessment Tool to assess potential risk to groundwater resources and support groundwater management decisions.
Reviewed surface water and groundwater monitoring networks managed by NRE Tas to help prioritise future investment in monitoring across the State.
Commencement of the design of a new statewide water quality monitoring program.
Completing these activities is ensuring that the water management framework is fit for purpose, can support development in irrigated agriculture, and safeguards our environment, while addressing challenges and emerging risks around water quality and changing climate.
The health and quality of Tasmania’s waterways is monitored through a range of NRE Tas activities and initiatives, like water quality monitoring programs, waterway data collection and sharing, improving understanding of drivers of change in waterway health and developing the Strategic Directions for Healthy Waterways paper to set out responsibilities, identify knowledge gaps and streamline the management of waterway health.
National Water Week makes a splash every year to remind us of water use and conservation, and its profound impact on everything from ecosystems to culture.