The Vasse River flows through the centre of the town of Busselton and drains into the internationally significant Vasse Wonnerup Ramsar wetlands. The LVRCP supported the Business Outcome: Value from Water and the Treasury Outcome: Protection of water resources within sustainable limits (Service: Drainage, floodplain, salinity and catchment management).

Catchment Planning An integrated approach to river management had been adopted, with activities targeting sediment treatment and removal, restoration of ecological values, reduction of nutrients entering the system and improving management of the urban and rural catchments.

Priority Actions Past achievements for the program have included rehabilitation of a 2km reach of the river, reshaping the bed and banks and trials with the phosphorous-binding clay PhoslockTM. Reshaping and revegetation has been extremely successful with plants now well-established, providing habitat for terrestrial and aquatic fauna and increased areas of shading.

The Lower Vasse River Cleanup Program review was completed in 2005, to assess project achievements and determine future activities. The following recommendations made in the review were undertaken in 2005/06.

• A focus on maintaining Isaac Street foreshore through infill planting, weed control and heavy mulching.

• Native fish survey and Goldfish eradication program.

• Survey of pools within the Lower Vasse River.

• Reed Raft development.

• Macrophyte establishment project.

• Communication plan between stakeholders.

• Continuation of the Clean Drains Awareness program with Ribbons of Blue.