Restoring the balance : guidelines for managing floodgates and drainage systems on coastal floodplains

These guidelines are written for people who actively manage coastal floodplain drainage systems, including local government authorities, landholders, drainage unions, industry groups and community groups. The guidelines encourage an improved balance between the economic, environmental and social aspects of floodplain drainage. The guidelines present strategies to reduce the adverse impacts of coastal floodplain drainage systems on fisheries and estuarine water quality. At the same time they are designed to help land managers maintain agricultural production and prevent further degradation. There is no simple ‘recipe’ to achieve this. Each drain system has to be assessed and solutions devised to fit each unique site. As such the guidelines outline important questions that need to be answered in assessing each drain, and provide a range of management options that can be used to maximise benefits and manage risks. The guidelines are based on findings from seven years of research by NSW Fisheries and NSW Agriculture on the north coast of NSW. They represent the collaborative effort of many different organisations and individuals.