• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
  • About us
  • Make a payment
  • Accessibility
  • News
  • Publications
  • Contact Us
Government of Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
Go to Minister for Water
Go to whole of WA Government search
Home Show Sub Nav
Planning for the future Show Sub Nav
Finding water

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Water allocation plans

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Rural water support

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Flood planning and mapping

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Water and land use planning

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Meeting demand

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Licensing Show Sub Nav
Water licensing Water Licensing

Licences and how to apply, licensing policies, forms to download and answers to questions frequently asked by current and prospective licensees.

Water trading Water Trading

Find out who is eligible to trade water entitlements and how applications are assessed. Click here to identify potential trading partners from the Water Register.

Metering and measurement

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Water licensing fees

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Legislation Show Sub Nav
Urban water Show Sub Nav
Water services

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Urban development Urban Development

Planning and managing water to enable growing, liveable water smart towns and cities.

Recycling and efficiency

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Bores Domestic Garden Watering

For information on groundwater, garden bores and waterwise gardens please visit our Be Groundwater Wise website. You can find questions and answers about garden bores,

Drinking water

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au .

Water topics Show Sub Nav
Groundwater

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Surface water

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Water quality

Managing the state's water resources requires a significant focus on water quality. We use the term 'water quality' to refer to the physical, chemical and

Waterways

Estuaries

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au

Onshore petroleum and water resources

This content has been updated and moved to WA.gov.au .

Maps & data Show Sub Nav
Maps

Monitoring and data

Main
  • Home
  • Water topics
  • Waterways
  • Groundwater
  • Surface water
  • Water quality
  • Waterways
    • What are waterways, rivers, estuaries and wetlands?
    • Values of our waterways
    • Threats to our waterways
    • Assessing waterway health
    • Managing our waterways
  • Estuaries
  • Onshore petroleum and water resources
Share
  • facebook iconFacebook
  • twitter iconTwitter
  • email iconEmail

Waterways

What are waterways, rivers, estuaries and wetlands?
Bayswater Main Drain, Perth.
Waterways are valuable assets that contribute economic, social, and environmental benefits to Western Australia. These benefits include water supply (for drinking, agriculture and industry, flood protection, movement of water, ), sustaining biodiversity and fish resources, opportunities for commerce (such as commercial cruises, boat hire and transport), recreation (such as boating, fishing, sailing water-skiing, kayaking , swimming) and public amenity (e.g. for picnics and events) and preserving cultural heritage.
Values of our waterways
Western pygmy perch
Waterways in Western Australia have intrinsic ecological value and also provide a wide range of ecosystem services. Ecosystem services result from a waterway's hydrology, landforms,
Threats to our waterways
Microcystis algal bloom Matilda Bay
Waterways are complex ecosystems with intricate relationships between the flora, fauna and non-living components such as water quality, flow regime and habitat. The balance
Assessing waterway health
Sample collection
Assessing waterway health Assessing waterway health is a vital step in being able to manage our waterways effectively. Healthy waterways have intrinsic ecological value and
Managing our waterways
Why do we manage waterways? Waterways are valuable assets that contribute economic, social and environmental benefits to Western Australia, but the values of our waterways
Page last updated - 29 Apr 2016
Return to top of page
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation was established by the Government of Western Australia on 1 July 2017. It is a result of the amalgamation of the Department of Environment Regulation, Department of Water and the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority. This website/publication may contain references to previous government departments and programs. Please contact the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation to clarify any specific information.

WA.gov.au
FOR MORE NEWS ON WA WATER
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR RSS
All content copyright © Government of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • -->