Rivers & Waterways
A catchment is an area where water is collected by the natural landscape. In a catchment, all rain and run-off water eventually flows to a creek, river, lake or ocean, or into the groundwater system.
We all live, work and play in catchments, and it is important to remember that our actions can have an impact on a waterway, even if it is several kilometres away. For instance, rain falling in our catchment will collect pollutants such as oil, litter and pesticides, and through the stormwater system these pollutants will end up in our creeks, rivers and the ocean.
The Ashfield Local Government Area lies within two catchments, the Parramatta River Catchment and the Cooks River Catchment. This means that any rain that falls in the suburbs of Ashfield, Summer Hill, Croydon, Ashbury and Haberfield will eventually drain to one of these rivers.
What are we doing to protect our waterways?
Ashfield Council is a member of the Cooks River Foreshores Working Group and the Parramatta River Catchment Group, which comprise representatives from local councils and from State Government agencies. The purpose of these groups is to facilitate and coordinate improvements to the health and amenity of these river systems in order to realise their full potential as a natural, recreational, social, cultural and educational resources.
Click on the links below to find out more about Ashfield Council's local waterways and what Council and State Government is doing to protect them:
- CookNet – the Cooks River Internet Portal
- Catchment Management Authority
- Our River – The Cooks River Sustainability Initiative
View of the Parramatta River from the Haberfield foreshore