Integration of Environmental Risk Assessment Within Estuary Management Planning for the Lower Hawkesbury-Nepean River, New South Wales

The Australian/New Zealand Standard for Risk Management (AS/NZS 4360:2004) and the associated handbook for Environmental Risk Management (HB 203:2006) provide a generic risk framework which can be utilised to develop Estuary Management Plans that enhance the estuary management process proposed within the current Estuary Management Manual (NSW Government, 1992). These standards specify elements of risk management and provide a process guide that has been adapted for use in developing the Lower Hawkesbury Estuary Management Plan (LHEMP). This process has involved communication and consultation with relevant stakeholders (via three workshops), identification of risks to estuarine assets (social, natural and built forms), risk analysis (based on consequences and likelihoods of risk impacts’ occurrence), risk evaluation (based on current management regimes to deal with the consequences/likelihoods and uncertainty), risk treatment (Estuary Management Plan) and a process for monitoring and review. By incorporating these elements of the Risk Management Standard into the estuary management process described within the Estuary Management Manual (NSW Government, 1992) it is anticipated that the LHEMP will contain a more rigorous framework for informing decision makers and planners. Further anticipated benefits include: better identification of threats to estuarine assets and opportunities for improvement; efficient allocation and use of resources; improved incident management; improved stakeholder confidence and trust; improved compliance with legislation; and improved governance of estuarine assets.