Management Objectives

Water Quality Objectives

1.0 Ensure that the water quality of Pittwater is suitable for maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems and all recreational and commercial activities currently undertaken.
1.1 Ensure that water quality objectives specified in the Independent Inquiry into the Hawkesbury-Nepean River system (NSW Healthy Rivers Commission, 1998) are met for more than 90% of the time at locations that are both close to the foreshore and in the middle of the waterway, including sites adjacent to Scotland Island and the western foreshore communities.
1.2 Ensure that faecal coliforms and enterococci levels at designated bathing areas comply with recommendations specified within the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (revised 2004)2.
1.3 Ensure that concentrations of toxicants within all parts of the estuary, including around marinas and within poorly flushed embayments, meet the ANZECC (2000) guidelines for 95% level of species protection.

Sedimentation and Erosion Objectives

2.0 Ensure that on-going sedimentation does not compromise the ecological value of existing habitats or the social amenity currently afforded to all estuary users.
2.1 Mitigate foreshore erosion processes at all high priority areas by 2015.
2.2 Reduce sediment runoff rates by 50% from the Pittwater catchment relative to existing sediment load conditions by 2015.
2.3 Ensure the quality of all Pittwater sediments is below the low trigger values specified in the ANZECC (2000) Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQG), to minimise impacts on benthic or aquatic ecosystems.

Ecology Objectives

3.0 Restore and maintain a healthy and diverse mix of terrestrial, fringing, intertidal and aquatic habitats that will promote visitation by a wide range of species, including migratory birds that have been displaced in recent years.
3.1 Re-establish a native vegetation riparian corridor around all public natural foreshore areas of Pittwater by 2015.
3.2 Eradicate where possible or bring under control all aquatic and terrestrial noxious weed species (including Caulerpa taxifolia) from within and around the Pittwater estuary by 2025.
3.3 Ensure all areas of ecological significance are properly protected and conserved for future generations, including the consideration of appropriate adaptive management strategies to deal with the environmental impacts of long term climate change.

Waterway Usage Objectives

4.0 Ensure that all recreational, commercial and commuter users can access and utilise the estuary in an equitable and safe manner.
4.1 Improve and/or develop arrangements, for the co-operative management of all waterway activities, between the relevant State Government Authorities and between State Authorities and Council.
4.2 Minimise the disturbance by all waterway activities to the natural environment, as well as other estuary users.

Foreshore Usage Objectives

5.0 Re-establish wherever possible public access to and around the entire foreshores of the Pittwater estuary by 2025.
5.1 Improve public facilities and access along sections of foreshore in public ownership.
5.2 Minimise traffic and parking congestion at foreshore access points.
5.3 Ensure all foreshore recreational and commercial activities are consistent with the other objectives of this Estuary Management Study.

Heritage Objectives

6.0 Ensure that all Aboriginal and non-indigenous heritage areas fringing the Pittwater estuary are not damaged or destroyed through inappropriate or poorly planned activities.
6.1 Ensure that all sites of Aboriginal heritage significance around Pittwater are properly identified, recorded and protected under the applicable State and Federal legislation.
6.2 Ensure that all sites of non-indigenous heritage are identified and registered under the relevant legislation and in Council planning instruments.
6.3 Increase the awareness of the community regarding the significance of the Pittwater estuary to the local Aboriginal people and also to the early European settlers in the area.

Development and Climate Change Objectives

7.0 Ensure that future development, including redevelopment or infill development, does not compromise the other objectives of this Estuary Management Study.
7.1 Minimise the impacts of all future development on the existing high scenic quality, recreational amenity and ecological values of the Pittwater estuary through appropriate land use zoning and development controls.
7.2 Ensure that potential climate change impacts for Pittwater are acknowledged and adequately addressed in Council’s strategic planning and management plans.