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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Learn about the Engineering a Crisis in a Ramsar Wetland
You’ll want to stay up to date with this stuff. Check out the latest buzz below.
Algae takes the bloom off river holidays
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Peter Ker, The Age
THE Murray River should be flushed before long weekends and holidays to protect the struggling tourism sector, Victoria's Tourism Industry Council says.
The Labor Day long...
moreMurray red alert as toxic algae spreads
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Peter Ker, The Age
An outbreak of toxic algae in the Murray River is spreading rapidly, with the size of the bloom doubling in the space of 48 hours.
...
moreFishery plan for power station ready to bite
Friday, 5 February 2010
Peter Ker, The Age
Lazy afternoons pulling barramundi out of balmy waters - it might not sound like Gippsland, but it could soon be a reality under a proposal for the controversial Hazelwood power...
moreYarra bathers to breathe freely as waste drops to 'safe' levels
Sunday, January 24 2010
Stephen Cauchi, The Age
The amount of E.coli bacteria from human and animal faeces in the Yarra River has fallen dramatically, making it safer to swim for longer in more areas.
...
moreState, Canberra at odds on water priority
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Peter Ker, The Age
Victoria's Goulburn and Murray districts have been identified as ''high priority'' regions for returning water to the environment, just weeks before the north-south pipeline takes...
moreLabor plan to let rivers run almost dry
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Peter Ker, The Age
Bare survival is the best Victoria's northern rivers can hope for if the past decade of drought is to continue, according to a new 50-year water strategy for the state's north.
...
moreFears aired over drought water reserve
Thursday, 10 December 2009
ABC
The Victorian Opposition says it is worried about the effect of implementing a proposed drought water reserve for northern Victorian rivers.
The proposal is contained in a new 50-year river...
moreWatchdog wary of 'secret files' on desal protesters
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Paul Austin, The Age
Victoria's Privacy Commissioner is seeking an urgent briefing from the State Government on the deal it has struck that will allow police to hand over sensitive files on...
moreCall for Target 100 to protect rivers and reservoirs and lock in water savings for good
Monday, 23 November 2009
The Brumby Government must move rapidly towards a Target 100 policy to protect Melbourne’s reservoirs and rivers and permanently lock in water savings,...
moreLoddon River health vital to the region, says community
Friday 13 October, 2009
Peter and Marlies Eicher of Salute Oliva near Boort have taken part in a new Environment Victoria project, which has revealed a passionate commitment within the community to bring the Loddon River...
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 |

