Water Security for Rivers
We’re working hard to secure effective legislation that protects our rivers and gives us water security for the future.
Over the last few years, Environment Victoria has earned a reputation as a credible, respected and important stakeholder in Victorian water management and river health. As the state’s peak environment group, we bring a Victorian community river health perspective to policy reform and management practices. And to do this we tap into the wealth of expertise and passion that is alive and well in local river champions across the state.
- We’re helping to shape the Victorian Government’s Sustainable Water Strategies for the western and Gippsland regions, with a focus on improving the health of rivers and wetlands by increasing water available to the environment. We’re also lobbying for greater efficiency and accountability in consumptive water use and for previously unaccounted water uses, such as farm dams and land use interceptions, to be included in the licensing framework.
- We’re participating in several national processes, such as the implementation of the National Water Initiative and the development of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. We’re working to bring state and federal governments closer together on water management issues. And we’re focused on establishing and meeting water recovery targets for northern Victorian rivers that will ensure their long-term health in a drying climate.
- We’re working with Commonwealth and Victorian environmental water holders to ensure that Victoria’s rivers and wetlands benefit fully from investment in water recovery. This includes timely and transparent reports on the delivery of environmental flows.
- We’re coordinating local volunteers to participate in the development and implementation of state water reform processes on Environment Victoria’s behalf.
- We’re contributing to the development of a Victorian Strategy for Healthy Rivers, Estuaries and Wetlands, with a focus on its key objective of ‘healthy rivers, streams and floodplains, which meet the environmental, economic, recreational and cultural needs of current and future generations’.
- We’re offering amendments to the Victorian Water Act and working to enhance the protection of the Environmental Water Reserve and establish an independent Environmental Water Holder.
- We work closely with other groups to coordinate our efforts, including the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Environment Defender’s Office, the Victorian National Parks Association, state and federal government departments and agencies, and Catchment Management Authorities. We also work with our affiliate groups and river champions, and regional groups from farmers, to environment groups and business.
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You’ll want to stay up to date with this stuff. Check out the latest buzz below.
Bringing the Victorian Water Act into the 21st Century
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Environment Victoria will tonight launch its report 'Bringing the Victorian...
moreExperts slam easing of water restrictions as "political opportunism"
30 August 2010
by Tom Cowie, Crikey
Water groups have labelled an easing of water restrictions in South Australia and Victoria as “political opportunism”, as...
moreEasing of water restrictions raises pipeline questions
Tuesday, 23 August 2010
ABC News
pponents of Victoria's North South Pipeline say the easing of water restrictions in Melbourne has raised serious concerns about the use of the controversial pipeline.
...
moreMelbourne water restrictions eased
Monday, 23 August 2010
Edwina Scott, Brisbane Times
Melbourne residents will be able to turn on a hose to green up their gardens any time of the day in a pre-election sweetener environment groups say will come at a cost to river...
moreHoses at the ready: stage 3a restrictions to end
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Paul Austin, The Age
Melburnians will be able to water their gardens at any time and wash their cars at home for the first time in four years when restrictions are eased next week.
From...
moreYarra River misses out as water restrictions eased
Monday, 23 August 2010
Environment Victoria has criticised the state government’s pre-election decision to move Melbourne back to Level 2 water restrictions from Wednesday, 1 September without delivering promised...
moreMurray-Darling Basin Plan promise offers hope for Red Gum Parks
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Environment Victoria today welcomed Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s commitment to buy back sufficient water to restore the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin to health, saying the...
more“Don’t be a drip, Tony”
Mitcham locals: save water by protecting forests and rivers
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
This morning Mitcham residents take their concerns about the degraded state of Victoria’s forests and rivers to their local member of...
moreGood rains mean 10bn litre boost for Yarra
Friday, 23 July 2010
Richard Willingham, The Age
The health of Melbourne's Yarra River will be given a boost with the allocation of 10 billion litres of environmental water.
Solid winter rainfalls, more efficient...
moreProgress on Yarra and Thomson river environmental flows but river rescue package needed ahead of election
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Environment Victoria has welcomed Water Minister Tim Holding’s announcement today that increased environmental flows will be delivered to the...
moreEnvironment Victoria's campaign highlights for the year
yep, there's a few...
It's never easy securing environmental victories, but we reckon we’ve had a pretty good year on the campaign trail. While we’re still not taking the critical big steps forward to reduce emissions, save our rivers and protect our...
moreWater campaigners get together
Improving river health across the country
As campaigners, we get used to being the only person in the room who is sticking up for the environment. Imagine how exciting and what a pleasure it is when we get together as a group of like-minded people who share a common...
moreLet's be honest...
It's going to cost money. Get used to it.
Part of what we do here at Environment Victoria is meet with politicians, their advisors and government bureaucrats.
It’s how we atone for our sins.
When we meet with them, we make sure they hear what’s...
more- Victoria: green and growing |
- Water Security, Healthy Rivers: Our Vision for Melbourne |
- An Audit of Seven Environmental Bulk Entitlements – Recommended, Planned, and Actual Release of Environmental Water to Victoria’s Stressed Rivers |
- Submission to 2009 Biennial Assessment of progress in Implementation of the National Water Initiative |
- Environment Victoria’s submission to the draft Northern Region Sustainable Water Strategy |
- Inquiry into Melbourne's Future Water Supply |
- Environment Victoria submission to Environment Effects Statement for the Victorian Desalination Project |
- Submission to the EPBC investigation of the Sugarloaf Pipeline |
- Environment Victoria submission to Project Impact Assessment of the Sugarloaf Pipeline Proposal |
- Submission to Northern Region Sustainable Water Strategy Discussion Paper |

