2017-01-16 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                   16 JANUARY 2017


Climate change
Anticipated changes in the Noosa region as a result of climate change include:
   More intense storm events. During shorter, more intense wet periods freshwater creeks and
     estuaries are likely to receive higher flows, resulting in more runoff, increased landslips and
     bank erosion, in turn exacerbating the urban and rural runoff threats.
   Higher sea level and storm surge. With the predicted increase in storm and flood events, higher
     sea levels and storm surge, low-lying freshwater systems will be vulnerable to saltwater
     intrusion and inundation.
   Lower average rainfall and more droughts. During extended dry conditions, environmental
     flows and water quality is likely to decline and affect aquatic life and waterways recreational
     activities.
Further to existing pressures from population growth and coastal development, fisheries production
will be impacted by these changes through changed patterns of rainfall and flow events, increasing
water temperatures, fish habitat transitions and changes in stock distribution.
The management challenge in the Noosa River catchment is to increase the resilience of
waterways to the expected impacts from climate change. In particular, the restoration of riparian
zone vegetation and in-stream fish habitat will be critical to:
   protect stream banks from potential erosion;
   provide shade and maintain cooler water temperature;
   filter urban and rural runoff; and
   sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.


4.    OUTCOMES OF CATCHMENT PLANNING ACTIVITIES
For the past 20 years, planning activities undertaken by Council and community stakeholders have
focussed on protecting the Noosa River catchment values and mitigating the threats to these
values.
The overall aim of the strategies and management plans developed were to ensure a healthy
catchment is achieved by:
   protecting water quality;
   ensuring land-based and on-river activities are well managed and sustainable;
   riparian habitats, wetlands and marine plants are conserved; and
   degraded riparian, wetlands and in-stream habitats are rehabilitated.
Over this period, a number of significant milestones were achieved for the Noosa River catchment
(refer Table 1 below):


 Planning Document                 Outcomes

 Noosa River Plan (1997)            A comprehensive review of marine infrastructure and use patterns.
                                    Identification of various ecological, recreational and fisheries
                                      values.
                                    Outlined factors affecting river use and management.
 Noosa   River     Catchment        A forum provided for broad community input (i.e. rural, urban and
 Management Strategy (2001)           industry stakeholders) and discussion.



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