South-west Western Australia has experienced a progressively drying climate over the past 35 years. The drying climate highlights the value of our water-related environments, including extensive groundwater aquifers which support numerous groundwater-dependent ecosystems such as wetlands, as well as many estuaries and rivers which are important environmental and recreational assets.
The EPA considers the key 'water' factor of inland waters when providing advice and recommendations to the Minister for Environment. This factor amalgamates the two previous factors of hydrological processes and inland waters environmental quality, to recognise the overlap in considerations for these factors and reflecting contemporary practice in EIA.