The ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment is to undertake an investigation into the state of lakes and waterways in the ACT.
Minister for Water, Shane Rattenbury said the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, Sophie Lewis’s investigation would provide valuable recommendations on how to protect and restore the health of Canberra’s waterways.
Mr Rattenbury said the most recent review was conducted in 2012 so an updated report was needed to identify priority locations for attention.
“Our lakes and waterways have high ecological value and are an important part of life in Canberra,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“We want to know whether our current approach is effectively protecting and restoring Canberra’s lakes and waterways, and if there are any gaps or issues that need be addressed,” he said.
“We also want to know more about the role of community and stakeholders in managing water quality and ecological health, and how we can better support and encourage their participation.”
Mr Rattenbury said the investigation would include Lake Burley Griffin, Lake Ginninderra, Lake Tuggeranong, the Molonglo River, as well as creeks and rivers that flowed through urban areas into the Murrumbidgee River.
He said Dr Lewis would evaluate the condition of Canberra’s main lakes and waterways; the effectiveness of Government management actions and strategies to protect the waterways; the Government’s monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes; and the role community and stakeholders could play in managing water quality and ecological health.
Minister for the Environment, Rebecca Vassarotti said the investigation would implement a key recommendation of the ACT State of the Environment Report 2019 from the previous Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, Kate Auty.
