Water, Land and People - Goulburn Broken Catchment ...

ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
34
Program Support
Written by Terry Batey, Department of Primary Industries
and Rachael Spokes, GB CMA
Program Goal: To provide the framework to manage
and coordinate the Shepparton Irrigation Region Catchment
Implementation Strategy.
This component of the Shepparton Irrigation Region
Catchment Implementation Strategy provides an overall
framework to manage and coordinate delivery of all
programs. Staff in this program provide administrative
and technical support to all processes of the Shepparton
Irrigation Region Catchment Implementation Strategy and
partners.
Salinity Program Management, Department
of Primary Industries
The Department of Primary Industries, Sustainable
Irrigated Landscapes-Goulburn Broken Project is critical
to maintaining ongoing community support, participation
and confidence in catchment management across the
Shepparton Irrigation Region.
The people in the Sustainable Irrigated Landscapes-
Goulburn Broken Project have a strong commitment
to the aims of the Regional Catchment Strategy that is
oversighted by the GB CMA.
Community Surface Water Management Program
People in the Community Surface Water Management
Program work with landowner communities and
government agencies to improve regional drainage within
the Shepparton Irrigation Region.
Farm Team
Local Area Planning
The people in the Farm Team use innovative processes
to effectively engage geographically located communities
which have been assigned a high priority within the
Shepparton Irrigation Region.
Sustainable agriculture and water use efficiency
In this program the people work with private landowners
to support development and implementation of
sustainable action plans and works using facilitation,
communication and incentive methods to achieve change.
Environmental Management Program
People in this program provide services to the community
to protect and enhance bio-diversity within the region
primarily on private land. These activities are carried out
consistent with the GB CMA priorities.
Goulburn-Murray Water Program
Management
Staff provide support to the Catchment Implementation
Strategy by ensuring the coordination of many functions
including management of existing works and delivery of
strategic planning projects. Staff also support promotion
and communication of Catchment Implementation
Strategy objectives through production of annual
reports, performance indicators, media information and
contribution to catchment partnerships.
Catchment Implementation Strategy
Coordination
This key function ensures that maximum value is gained
from the public funds allocated to the Implementation
Committee and closely monitors the achievements and
progress of the Catchment Strategy.
The Implementation Committee attracted an integrated
budget of close to $16 million in 2008-2009. Funding was
coordinated across some 50 projects and three agencies.
The success of the program requires strong liaison and
cooperation between agency staff to ensure works are
completed on time and within budget allocations.
Community Education
Catchment Education and Awareness Grants
The Catchment Education and Awareness Grants
program has been successfully administered across
the Goulburn-Broken Catchment since 1986. It began
before the Shepparton Salinity Pilot Program Advisory
Committee launched the Shepparton Irrigation Region
Land & Water Salinity Management Plan in 1989, and
has been embraced by the current, broader, Regional
Catchment Strategy introduced by the GB CMA.
The purpose of the Catchment Education and Awareness
Grants program is to encourage non-profit organisations
to undertake activities that increase community
awareness and understanding of salinity related issues in
the catchment.
The total available funding for 2008-2009 was $30,000,
contributed by the Shepparton Irrigation Region
Implementation Committee.