AIM: To establish Resource Quality Objectives (RQOs) to ensure that resource quality and reserve requirements are achieved by auditing the implementation of the Resource Directed Measures (RDM).

The Directorate assesses the “state of the nation’s” water resources against the Resource Quality Objectives, and reports on the implications of this resource quality. This would particularly involve the following focus areas:

 

Development of sustainability indicators

AIM: To develop indicators to measure compliance with resource quality objectives.

The sustainability indicators will be developed to highlight the implications of not meeting resource quality objectives, particularly in terms of public health, ecological, social and economic impacts. This work involve (a) the identification and implementation of sustainability indicators to assess and audit compliance with protection measures and (b) the development of reporting procedures to allow state of water resources reporting.

 

Resource Quality Assessments

AIM: To assess the quality of the nation's water resources.

Assessing the state / quality of the nation's water resources, and assessing resource quality of significant resources against the Resource Quality Objectives and the Reserve in order to ensure that the water resources are managed in a sustainable manner in the public’s interest. This includes preliminary evaluation of water resources management in catchments for which objectives are not being met. This work involves (a) the development and implementation of water resource assessment procedures; (b) the prioritisation of water resource assessment studies; and (c) ensuring that water resources are managed in a sustainable manner, in the public’s interest.

 

Communication

AIM: To co-ordinate and communicate the results of the resource quality assessments.

Coordinating and communicating the results of the resource quality assessments, including the requirement for strategic or other interventions. This work involves (a) the co-ordination of results reporting emanating from resource quality assessment and audits, and (b) the compilation of documents to ensure strategic or other interventions, as and when required.

 

The RDMC Directorate is currently focusing on the following key priorities:

• Development of the methods to achieve Resource Directed Measures, this includes the development of new methods where gaps have been identified.

• Review of some of the existing methods and standardization of methods such that there is consistency in setting RDM parameters.

• Development of an accredited RDM Curriculum to be used by tertiary institutions as a means of addressing the lack of skills and contributing to capacity building for the water sector.

• Training and creating awareness amongst all DWA and CMA staff on the importance of people maintaining healthy freshwater ecosystems; how and why to expand their traditional monitoring and enforcement activities to address Resource Quality Objectives.

• Training of Regional Office personnel staff on the interpretation of the Reserve templates that provides information on the conditions that need to be monitored by the Regional office staff in order to protect the Reserve.

• Standardising Reserve assessment methods to meet the needs of the Water Resources Classification System and the setting of appropriate Resource Quality Objectives.

• Development, updating and maintenance of RDM Technical Assessment Tools and Information Management Systems.