Water Quality - A Model of Cooperation
Abstract
A nationwide water quality assessment project was commissioned by Environment Australia (EA) and the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA) with the outcomes of the assessment to be included in the 2001 Australian State of the Environment Report and in NLWRA’s resource mapping outputs and reports. A collaborative project structure was developed with relevant State and Territory agencies undertaking the majority of the water quality assessments, and with Sinclair Knight Merz, environmental and engineering consultants, providing project management and coordination. The major project tasks included assessing the exceedance of key water quality variables against management objectives or guidelines, and determining the significance and magnitude of any trends in salinity, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. A framework methodology was developed which allowed State and Territory agencies to use their own management objectives/guidelines and trend assessment techniques, but produced outputs which were comparable between States and Territories. This project highlights a successful cooperative partnership between EA, NLWRA, key State and Territory stakeholders and private industry and has fostered ownership of the methodology, process and results. It has provided an important framework and base for future national water quality assessments.