Wetlands and Waterways Works Manual

Colour photograph of large earthmoving equipment scooping a riverbed.The Waterways and Wetlands Works Manual provides environmental best practice guidelines for undertaking works in these sensitive areas. Guidelines are available on practical strategies to minimise environmental harm when undertaking works on waterways and wetlands in Tasmania.

The Manual covers works in waterways and wetlands that are often undertaken by government, industry, farmers and community groups. These include activities such as constructing bridges and other stream crossings, excavating the stream bed and banks and operating machinery in these areas, constructing drainage channels, managing large woody debris, and riparian vegetation management.

The Manual also outlines the legislative and policy requirements in Tasmania when undertaking works in these areas.

The Manual has been developed to give council staff guidance on the environmental issues that should be considered when undertaking works in waterways and wetlands, and the ways the risk of causing environmental harm can be minimised. It is also a resource for other groups and individuals planning to undertake works.

The Manual was developed by the Department in partnership with the Local Government Association of Tasmania, with funding from the Natural Heritage Trust.

Wetlands and Waterways Works Manual - Downloads

​Summary Brochure

Environmental best practice guidelines when undertaking works on waterways and wetlands in Tasmania. This brochure is a summary of the larger Manual which is a set of eight documents plus an introduction.​

Legislative and Policy Requ​irements

Includes an outline of relevant legislation and policy; complementary resource management tools; a checklist; and Appendix 1: Determining ownership of riparian areas.

Construction Practices

Construction works in wetlands and waterways without expert advice can be a high risk activity. Includes: potential environmental impacts; environmental management principles; references; and a checklist.

Excavating in Waterways​

Excavation activities within watercourses have the potential to severely degrade or destroy ecosystems. Includes: potential environmental impacts; strategies for managing bed & bank erosion; environmental management principles; references; and checklist.

Minimising Harm from Agricultural Drainage Channels

While draining wet agriculture soil allows timely field operations, steps should be taken to minimise environmental harm from drainage channels. Includes: potential environmental impacts; environmental design requirements; references; and checklist.

Siting and designing stream crossings

The undertaking of construction works in wetlands and waterways without expert advice can be a high risk activity with the potential for severe environmental consequences. Includes: background; stream crossing type; site selection; bridges; culverts; causeways; fords; stock crossing; on-going maintenance requirements; removing crossings; references; and checklist.

Managing large woody debris

Large woody debris is a vital natural component of Tasmanian waterways and its removal, far from improving our waterways, has the potential to severely degrade stream health. Includes: importance of large woody debris in rivers; re-positioning large woody debris; removing large woody debris; re-introducing large woody debris; references; and checklist.

Management of riparian vegetation

Riparian zones are areas of land which adjoin a body of water. Includes: what is a riparian zone; the importance of riparian vegetation; threats to riparian zone; general principles for management of riparian vegetation; riparian clearance controls; references; and checklist.

Guiding community involvment

Numerous Landcare/Rivercare and Waterwatch groups have been established to undertake programs and projects around the State. Includes a step-by-step development of a Rivercare plan.​