'Securing Our Water Future Together' Chapters 2 and 3 identify the necessity to establish a suite of EWR roles across Victoria to manage the implementation of the EWR and Appendix C (Responsibilities Associated with the Operational Management of the EWR) identifies the management tasks required to fulfil these roles. This project provides ongoing funding for the employment of 2.3 Environmental Water Reserve (EWR) Officer positions to fulfil the North Central CMAs statutory obligations in its role as manager of the EWR within the region.

The primary objectives of the Avoca Avon Richardson Priority River Reaches project are to implement priorities from the North Central River Health Strategy and improve water quality and river health. The following range of activities will be undertaken to reduce sediment and nutrient inputs to waterways and protect riparian biodiversity values: - priority erosion control works - riparian buffer strip fencing - riparian vegetation protection and enhancement including: revegetation and fencing for stock control - community engagement works to raise awareness of river health This project will target works on the following priority reaches identified in the North Central River Health Strategy: - Avoca River reaches 1 to 8 'Representative River'

The primary objectives of the Campaspe Priority River Reaches project are to implement priorities from the North Central River Health Strategy and the Coliban Catchment Action Plan and improve water quality and river health. The following range of activities will be undertaken to reduce sediment and nutrient inputs to waterways and protect riparian biodiversity values: - priority erosion control works - riparian buffer strip fencing - riparian vegetation protection and enhancement including: revegetation and fencing for stock control - community engagement works to raise awareness of river health This project will target works on the following priority reaches identified in the North Central River Health Strategy: - Campaspe River, Campaspe reach 6 'near ecologically healthy' - Kangaroo Creek, Campaspe reach 21 'near ecologically healthy' - Coliban River, Campaspe reach 22 'near ecologically healthy'

The primary objectives of the Loddon Priority River Reaches project are to implement priorities from the North Central River Health Strategy and to improve water quality and river health. The following range of activities will be undertaken to reduce sediment and nutrient inputs to waterways and protect riparian biodiversity values: - priority waterway mangagement (erosion &willow control) - buffer strip establishment - riparian protection &enhancement including revegetation and fencing for stock control - continuation of the Joint Partnership Initiative with the City of Greater Bendigo for management of Bendigo &Back creeks - community engagement to raise awareness of river health Works will be targeted on the following priority reaches: - Loddon River, Loddon reach 10 'near ecologically healthy' - Sailors Creek, Loddon reach 28 'near ecologically healthy' - Bendigo &Back creeks, Loddon reach 44 &47 'protect reaches of high environmental, social and economic value

The Regionally Significant Wetlands project was developed to ensure a coordinated approach to wetland management through the integration of concurrently running projects and coordinating further planning between and within organisations. This project will ensure the protection and enhancement of the wetland assets within the North Central region.

The North Central CMA has a responsibility to take a lead role in strategic management of water quality issues across the region. This responsibility is conveyed in a number of strategy documents: - The Victorian River Health Strategy - Securing our water future together (Victorian Government white paper) - North Central Regional Catchment Strategy - North Central River Health Strategy - State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria) - North Central Nutrient Management Strategies &Action Plans This project addresses the North Central CMA responsibilities in regard to water quality by employment of a water quality coordinator (1FTE) to further these responsibilities.

The 'Rehabilitating flow-regulated waterways in the Loddon catchment' is a Large Scale River Restoration project aimed at effectively delivering improvements to river health along the Loddon River (downstream of Cairn Curran Reservoir), Tullaroop and Birches creeks. An Environmental Water Reserve has been established as a Bulk Entitlement (BE) for these waterways. Rehabilitating these waterways will involve a variety of river health management activities to complete the EWR both along and within their surrounding catchment, working closely with all relevant stakeholders.

The North Central River Health Strategy (RHS) provides a clear direction to the river health program for the North Central region. This project will contribute significantly to the filling of identified information gaps and lead to knowledge change within the North Central CMA region. Specific knowledge gaps targeted by this project include undertaking management trials for the control of prolific lignum growth in the lower Loddon and Avoca catchments, planning for the removal/modification of priority fish barriers, the development of a Representative River Plan for the Avoca River and a contribution to priority state or regional research projects. These activities build apon research outcomes from previous years of this project.

The focus of this project is to implement the Waterwatch program across the whole of the North Central Region with an aim to raise school and community awareness and understanding of water quality and catchment health issues. Issues such as salinity and algal blooms and the effects they have on freshwater environments, are explained though 'hands on' activities, following the 'learning by doing' philosophy. Waterwatch also encourages and facilitates community involvement in natural resource management through the delivery of a community based water quality monitoring program.

To meet the Statutory Function obligations under the Water Act 1989 and CaLP Act 1994, which primarily involves: - Permits and compliance for Works on Waterways Permit Scheme; - Planning permit, flood level and farm dam referrals, including compliance; - Flood Response Action Plan and Flood warning Systems; - Issue and compliance of a Land Management Notice under the CaLP Act 1994