Citizen science is increasingly valued by natural resource management agencies for its dual benefits to environmental monitoring and community education and engagement. However, despite growing investment in citizen science initiatives, global research literature flags significant shortfalls in knowledge about program contributions to catchment planning and policy development. Drawing on a nationwide survey of program coordinators, we examine the characteristics of freshwater citizen science programs in Australia, the types and extent of data contributions to catchment decision-making, and the importance of partnerships that sustain their activities. Thirty-eight coordinators in all states and territories responded to our survey, capturing a majority of current freshwater citizen science initiatives in Australia. Our results indicate that a majority of programs have goals of obtaining useful data to inform management decisions (n=27) and program coordinators feel their data are viewed receptively by decision-makers (n=23). Despite this, fewer than half of programs provide evidence of data use and clear links with water management and policy. Program coordinators reveal the main barriers to data uptake are funding and financial constraints, difficulties connecting and coordinating with data end users, and a lack of interest by decision-makers in volunteer-collected data. We argue that increasing the utility of citizen science and reducing points of divergence between water policy and practice requires increased institutional support, building synergies through monitoring partnerships and improving communication of program outcomes.