Why are rivers and estuaries important?
Water is one of the most important resources that exist on the planet. It is central to the existence of life and links all of the natural processes that occur on Earth. Water affects all of our land uses and every aspect of our environment. By the same token, whenever we change our land uses we change the way in which water interacts with the landscape, and this has an ongoing effect on the biology and chemistry of the land. International problems of over-population, resource depletion, over extraction of water and the destruction of biodiversity, have put immense pressure on the management of water resources. Many people in the world suffer from a lack of access to reliable clean water. The United Nations has produced reports showing that water is, and will increasingly be, a source of national and international conflict. In short – water is not a resource that we can afford to take for granted. Australia’s river systems and estuaries are central to agriculture, biodiversity, urban a
