How the Strategy was developed

Seven local assessment panels were held to undertake a "rapid reach assessment" of the economic, social and environmental values of 150 river reaches in the catchment as well as the threats to those values (Another 105 reaches, mostly in National Parks and protected drinking water catchments, were assessed as being in near natural condition).

The consistent application of the rapid reach assessment method across the entire catchment has ensured the Strategy is a whole-of-catchment approach that allowed for the capture of detailed knowledge held in local communities.

The Hawkesbury Nepean River Health Strategy follows the following key principles:

• Analysis and action is based on river reaches
• Assessment of risk to river health is undertaken by identifying the environmental, social and economic values and threats related to river reaches
• Assessment of reaches allows priorities for action to be established
• Key management principle to inform action -- protect high quality areas before rehabilitating more degraded areas