Catchments of the Northern Rivers
There are nine major catchments and 196 subcatchments in the Northern Rivers region:
What is a Catchment?
A catchment area or basin is land which is bounded by natural features such as hills or mountains, from which all runoff water flows to a low point - like water in a bathtub flowing to the plug hole, or water that falls on a roof flowing to a downpipe. In the case of a natural catchment area, the low point could be a dam, a location on a river, or the mouth of a river where it enters the ocean. As well as rivers, creeks, lakes and dams, a catchment also includes groundwater, stormwater, waste water, and water-related infrastructure. Most catchments are characterised by one or more of the following:
- Numerous tributaries in steep country, with rapid runoff
- Catchments that level off into floodplains only a few metres about sea level
- Floodplains, estuaries and coastal sand plains which include many important wetlands and coastal lakes
- Small but important swamps and lagoons found on tablelands and plateau, typical of the larger Clarence and Macleay River catchments
Catchment areas vary in size and form. Large catchment areas, such as the Clarence, include major drainage networks of creeks and rivers. Large catchment areas are made up of hundreds of smaller 'sub-catchment areas'. These may be bordered by low hills and ridges and drained by only a small creek or gully. The way each of these small catchment areas is managed affects the overall well-being of the larger catchment area.
