Development of future management options for the Hawkesbury River

The Hawkesbury River is a valuable community asset. In the last 200 years there have been continuous and significant changes which have resulted in declining river health and impacts on community values. Management processes which purport to arrest this decline and provide protection or improvements to the quality of the Hawkesbury River were reviewed in light of community concerns and available water quality analysis data. Clear responses in waterway condition can be linked to catchment activities and some management processes to improve river health. It appears however, many such management practices have not been assessed or are not capable of assessment. The development of a framework to assess future management proposals for protection and remediation of the Hawkesbury River is proposed.