But traditional farming practices of allowing stock to graze and drink from the banks of a creek is causing significant issues for both the farmer and for other waterways downstream.

Agricultural practices have been identified as a significant source of contaminants and pollution in the Tamar Estuary by NRM North and the Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce.

Effluent and fertilisers make their way into the creeks and brooks and are carried all the way downstream to Tamar's water column.

It's part of the reason agricultural practices and educating rural landowners about the impact their actions have on the river is a crucial action as part of the Tamar River Health Action Plan.

NRM North is spearheading the stock out of Waterways program, which helps provide funds for farmers to fence stock out of waterways.

Whitemore farmer Andrew McLauchlan, who runs sheep and beef operation Valma, had his fences put in about January after accessing the program.

He said after purchasing a neighbouring property, he had already started to look at what he could do to keep stock away from his creek.

"For us, it would be something we'd probably have had to do anyway, but then we found NRM North and the program," he said.

Traditional farming practices had led to the standard way of stock drinking in waterways on properties, but Mr McLauchlan said as a farmer, it caused its own set of headaches.

"There are benefits for us, because if there's no fences then they [the livestock] graze and camp on the river banks," he said.

Always stepping or standing in wet, muddy water could cause hoof abscesses, among other things, and heavy livestock can cause damage.

He said it could exacerbate erosion issues, which would impact waterways further down the river.

"If they are spending a lot of time there, they can break down the river banks over time," he said.

Mr McLauchlan said the NRM North program had helped him fund the 3.5 kilometres of fence that now keeps his 1200 stud ewes and 100 stud cows away from the creek bed.

He said not only does it help with disease management but also for control of herds.

"You can keep stock in certain paddocks at a certain time and you don't have the headaches of stock moving across the creek into neighbouring properties," he said.

NRM North's Stock out of Waterways program has already helped farmers to erect 200-kilometres worth of fencing to keep stock away from creeks.

It has kept 40,000 livestock from accessing natural creeks and riverbeds.

Mr McLauchlan said while he had to invest his own money to the program, funds were made available through NRM North.

He said he would encourage any farmer to access the program if they needed help.

"NRM North were really good to work with, there was flexibility built into the program, which really helped us with the deadlines and that sort of thing," he said.

The Examiner is running a campaign to raise awareness of the issues that face water quality and the health of the Tamar Estuary.

The campaign aims to educate and highlight work that is being done or could be done to improve the Tamar for all users.

Mr McLauchlan said most farmers wanted to do the right thing to help, but they couldn't be held solely responsible for the health of the estuary or other waterways.

But he did say he thought if farmers could help improve the health of the Tamar Estuary they would do so.

"If you look at the Tamar, it doesn't clean itself well, if we can do something to help that we will because when the river's up it's beautiful, but when the tide is out it looks pretty ordinary," he said.

"If we can get the Tamar right, it would be beneficial for the whole of Tasmania, it has the potential to be a major attraction for the state."