Know your catchments

What is a Catchment?
We all live in a catchment. A catchment is the area of land that is drained by a particular river system. Catchments vary in size, larger ones are made up of many smaller catchments.

Why are Catchments important?
Every time we interact with the environment - clearing land for housing, growing food and fibre, disposing of our waste, watering the garden, walking in a natural environment, fishing and camping, we impact directly or indirectly on our catchment.

Human activities have resulted in land and water issues such as:

»	salinity,
»	poor water quality,
»	invasion of pest plants and animals,
»	loss of our native biodiversity.

We all have an important role in repairing, protecting and managing our catchments so future generations can enjoy a clean, healthy, productive environment in which to live.

Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs)
Nine CMAs were formed across the state in 1997, and the 10th, Port Phillip and Westernport, was established in 2002. Their roles are:

»	to ensure the sustainable development of natural resource based industries;
»	to maintain and where possible, improve the quality of land and water resources;
»	to conserve natural and cultural heritage;
»	to involve the community in decisions relating to natural resource management within their region;
»	to advise on matters relating to catchment management and land protection and the condition of land and water resources in the region;
»	to promote community awareness and understanding of the importance of land and water resources, their suitable use, conservation and rehabilitation.