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Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Strategy

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Regional Catchment Strategy 2013-2019

Chapter three: decision-making at the sub-Catchment scale

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Following the description of whole-of-Catchment SES priorities in Chapter two, this chapter describes six sub-Catchment SESs, drawing heavily on input from community, individuals and technical experts.

Each sub-Catchment SES is described; its chracteristics, landscapes, land uses and social systems, including what is valued. Priorities that are expected to be the basis for more detailed planning over the next six years are also listed, contexted by how the four connected drivers of change described in Chapter two impact on each sub-Catchment SES. While significant variation in planning between SESs is encouraged as communities respond to their differing needs, efforts will also be directed towards achieving an appropriate level of whole-of-Catchment consistency.

It is acknowledged that significant planning has already been undertaken in several sub-Catchment SESs and catchment governance and engagement processes are in place, such as those associated Sustainable Irrigation Program Advisory Group with a focus in the Agricultural Floodplains SES.

The sub-Catchment SESs, introduced in Chapter two, are generally, although not exclusively, consistent systems of people and nature (or social and ecological characteristics) including land form, vegetation type, land uses and social structure and dynamics. SESs don't have sharp boundaries, as shown in Figure 6.

Why are these SESs such a prominent feature of this RCS? The six sub-Catchment SESs are at the appropriate scale to address many catchment management problems: they are small enough for details to be well understood, including how different issues relate, yet large enough to achieve efficiencies in allocating resources aimed at achieving resilience.

An early task in sub-Catchment SES planning will be to consider thresholds of resilience (listed in Appendix five) so that catchment management partners can agree on desired levels of intervention.