Rivers Alive!

The Rivers Project

Healthy rivers are our lifeblood. Queensland's rivers are among the most beautiful and diverse on earth. Our rivers, and the wetlands they feed, are home to many rare plants, birds, fish, and mammals. Our healthy rivers provide clean drinking water for everyone and are vital for the Queensland way of life.

Despite their outstanding natural and cultural values, Queensland's rivers are under increasing threat. Many of our rivers continue to be polluted with pesticides and toxic chemicals and have much more water pumped out than is considered healthy.

The greatest threat to our rivers comes from escalating water use. Large scale irrigated agriculture already uses 78% of all the water consumed in Queensland (DEH 2000), and it’s getting thirstier. Irrigation is expanding at an unsustainable rate throughout Queensland creating pressure for more large scale dams and irrigation schemes.

Dams and irrigation schemes damage rivers by:

• permanently changing the natural healthy flows;
• causing widespread pollution and water quality problems;
• destroying the breeding cycles of native fish;
• increasing the potential for poisonous blue-green algae attacks;

Since 1998 the QCC has coordinated the Rivers Project. We aim to protect Queensland’s rivers, streams and wetlands by

1. Promoting ecologically based water resource management.
2. Publicly opposing new dams and weirs.
3. Protecting Wild Rivers in Queensland

Water Reform

In 2004, the Queensland Government signed up to the National Water Initiative and agreed to the continued reform of water management across the State. The focus of this reform includes planning for ecological and water quality outcomes, increasing water prices, and trading water allocations. The Rivers Project is actively involved in the water reform program though

• Providing representation on consultation forums
• Preparing submission and reports.
• Generating community support for saving water.

As part of this reform Queensland is currently developing Water Resource Plans for most catchments in Queensland. Water Resource Plans are based on the sustainable allocation and management of water including the protection of natural ecosystems. These Plans were to resolve the complex issues of water management, with decisions based upon the best available science. In reality however, the pressure to pump more water from our already stressed rivers and build more dams and weirs is undermining the planning process. Visit the Department of Natural Resouces and Water website to find out more about the water resource planning stages of Queensland river catchments.