Riversymposium 2000

The Riversymposium has emerged as a pre-eminent forum for discussion on river management. With increasing international participation and recognition, the 2000 program brought together those in industry, community and government working together for the future of our rivers. Under the banner Sustaining Rivers - Defining the New International Agenda the symposium again highlighted the complexity of river management, identifying current trends, successes and emerging problems throughout the world. Drawing upon the expertise of researchers and practitioners, the program included case studies, themed paper presentations and discussion sessions. In keeping with the multi-disciplinary approach to river management, the 2000 program explored river and river basin management through several concurrent themes covering ecological health, planning and policy, and community and cultural development. Papers from each theme, together with some case studies were selected for publication. Following two keynote presentations, these have now been grouped under the headings of: River Management Case Studies; Understanding River Health; Sustainable River Management; and Partnerships and Institutional Arrangements. In recognition of the multi-disciplinary approaches required in river management, and keeping with the emphasis of the Riversymposium's mission, these proceedings include some papers that differ in scope from the technical papers usual in Water Science and Technology. It is hoped these proceedings add to the international body of knowledge now being brought to bear on the complexity of river management as it is now fundamental that it is inclusive of social, technical, ecological, institutional and cultural perspectives.