Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
manage what goes on beyond the estuary limits.
For deltas, this is critical because of the issue of
sediment supply: issues that are linked to the
freshwater system, and come under the Catch-
ment Management Plan (CMP). For estuaries,
what goes on to seaward is also important and
again these fall within another management
plan region, the Shoreline Management Plan
(SMP). The risk of having three plans is that
the lack of communication between different
management groups could lead to one plan
recommending a course of action that could be
of detriment to the other. An obvious example
here would be freshwater management and
dam construction as cited above. Managers of
these respective plans, however, are encouraged
to meet and consult on the outcomes of their
recommended activities, which is generally done
through a liaison committee that facilitates dia-
logue at the planning stage, and also oversees
the running and implementation of the plans
(Fig. 7.15).
The formulation of management plans should
be a dynamic process that develops and imple-
ments a co-ordinated strategy to achieve the
conservation and sustainable multiple use of
estuaries and deltas. Inherent in this is the idea
of co-ordination, which should bring catchment,
estuarine and shoreline management together.
Such co-ordination is facilitated by a liaison
committee with the role of promoting dialogue
between different managers. Eventually, this
should then fall within the realm of coastal
management, of which estuaries and deltas are
integral parts.
7.5.2 Managing for the prevention of
anthropogenic inputs
The natural ability of estuaries to assimilate
contaminants means that they can be used to
treat some of the waste material generated by
society. It is important to ensure, however,
that the permitted inputs do not exceed the
Liaison Committee
Catchment
Estuary & delta
Shoreline
Contaminant inputs
Land-use change
Fisheries
Amenity use
Flood defences
Conservation
Development
Contaminant inputs
Land-use change
Fisheries
Amenity use
Flood & coastal
defences
Sediment budget
Dredging
Conservation
Development
Contaminant inputs
Land-use change
Fisheries
Amenity usage
Industrial usage
Sediment budget
Coastal defences
Conservation
Catchment
Management
Plan
Estuary
Management
Plan
Shoreline
Management
Plan
Fig. 7.15
Management
structure and issues
having an impact upon
estuaries and deltas.
Liaison Committee
