Victorian River Health Strategy

Managing river health in Victoria:
the policy and planning framework 2002 - 2012
Dr Amber Clarke
Manager, Waterway Policy and Strategy

Key institutional arrangements
STATE: Policy + Investment
� Department of Sustainability and Environment
o Strategic policy
- Water resource planning
- Waterway management
o Oversee catchment planning framework (ICM)
o Invest state funds in waterway management activities
o Advise and support Ministers

Key institutional arrangements
REGIONAL: Planning + Delivery
� Catchment Management Authorities
Melbourne Water (metro area)
o Responsibilities under the Water Act 1989
o ‘Caretakers of river health’
o Regional planning and on-ground implementation
o Community participation and awareness raising

Victorian River Health Strategy (2002)
� Before 2002, river health management:
o Lacked strategic direction and integration
o No criteria for prioritising management efforts
o Inadequate policy direction on specific issues
� VRHS provided:
o Strategic, integrated policy framework
o Vision, management approach and state targets
o Regional planning framework to identify priorities
o Specific policy on management issues
o Clarified roles and responsibilities

Management approach - VRHS
1. Protect high value rivers
2. Maintain ecologically healthy
rivers
3. ‘Overall improvement’ of all
other rivers
4. Prevent future damage

Adaptive management of river health
� VRHS is part of a broader adaptive management cycle

Regional planning framework
Regional River Health Strategies (x10)
o Developed with key partners and the
community
o Devolved decision making
o Priority waterways for action
o Management action plan - regional targets
o Guide state and other investment

Key challenges
� Clear state and regional plans for action……BUT
o Severe, supra-seasonal drought
1997 – 2009
o Major bushfires
2003, 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2009
o Severe flooding
2010 – 2011

Implementation
� State
o management approach too ambitious
o no guidance on managing climatic variability or extreme events
� Regional
o planning assumed long-term average
o actions and targets quickly outdated
Out of the tough times came innovation, efficiency and many lessons

Adaptive management in practice
� Reviews of the policy framework (state and regional)
� Key recommendations:
o single management framework
o more realistic aims
o maximise outcomes from environmental water
o better integrated regional work programs
o more flexible approach
o policy for extreme events
� Input to the next planning cycle

Planning for the next decade
� DSE is currently updating the Victorian River Health
Strategy
� Key strengths are being retained:
1. adaptive management framework
2. regional planning
� Advances include:
o rivers, estuaries and wetlands
o environmental water management arrangements
o more targeted investment for priority areas
o seasonally adaptive approach

Key lessons
1. Enable adaptive management
2. Know your priorities
3. Be flexible

Thank you to colleagues at DSE –
Dr Jane Doolan, Dr Sarina Loo
Janet Holmes, John Riddiford
For additional information visit:
www.water.vic.gov.au