Integrated water management
Water is life; it is vital to maintaining community health and wellbeing, the liveability of our cities and towns, Indigenous culture, the environment and the economy.
In the Barwon region, demand and competition for water is continuing to grow – whether that be for drinking, cultural purposes, agriculture and manufacturing, environmental flows or public amenity and recreation.
Much of this demand is driven by the popularity of our region. The Barwon region continues to grow rapidly, and this trend is expected to continue. Geelong has the fastest growing population out of Australia’s largest 20 cities.
Unfortunately, our rivers, wetlands and estuaries are under significant pressure. The combination of a drying climate and continued extraction of water for consumptive purposes means declining environmental health is evident for both the Moorabool and Barwon Rivers which, as a result, are among the most flow-stressed rivers in Victoria.
As we heard clearly from the community through Barwon Water’s Water for Our Future engagement process, it is imperative that we manage this fundamental but finite resource in a holistic way and shift to sources of water that are climate resilient. With less water and more people, integrated water management (IWM) has never been more vital to our region’s ongoing health and prosperity.
Barwon Integrated Water Management Forum
To help tackle this issue, the Barwon IWM Forum formed in 2018, driving a collaborative and integrated approach to water management to enable sustainable environmental, social, cultural and community prosperity for the region. The forum comprises regional leaders representing Traditional Owners, local governments, statutory authorities and government agencies.
The Barwon Integrated Water Management Forum is one of 10 regional integrated water management (IWM) forums across Victoria that are realising the local implementation of the framework.
See also Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP): Integrated Water Management Forums
Strategic Directions Statement
To help guide the ongoing direction and priorities of the forum, our Strategic Directions Statement (SDS) celebrates our achievements and articulates the forum’s principles, vision and outcomes for IWM and identifies the opportunities looking ahead.
The SDS articulates the collaborative intent and shared agreement of all stakeholders involved in the forum. It describes the water security challenges and opportunities in the region, sets the strategic direction for the next three to five years, and outlines the ways in which IWM is and will be applied through joint projects that connect water back into the water cycle.
In the SDS, we have identified 19 priority opportunities of different scales to progress. The use of climate-independent alternative water sources – such as recycled water and stormwater – feature strongly in this next phase of work.
Barwon region Strategic Directions Statement 2022 (PDF, 14.4 MB)
Building resilience to challenges
The forum’s experience since establishment has highlighted the need to focus IWM efforts on key challenges of:
- population growth, with more people moving to and visiting the Barwon region
- climate change, which is already impacting the region through extreme weather, reduced rainfall and hotter temperatures
- reducing our reliance on climate-dependent sources of water by finding alternative solutions to meet the demand.
Opportunities
Nineteen opportunities have been identified across the region.
1. Bannockburn IWM plan
Increased use of diverse water and better IWM practices in new greenfield areas i.e., Bruce Creek.
2. City of Greater Geelong IWM plan
Bringing together organisations to adapt to population growth, optimise waterway health, and foster economic growth and climate resilience.
3. Queenscliff IWM plan
Developing an IWM plan for the Borough of Queenscliffe with a focus on stormwater.
4. Avalon corridor IWM plan
Servicing the proposed Avalon Employment Precinct and nearby agricultural properties with sustainable and diverse water supplies.
5. Implementation of northern and western Geelong growth areas IWM plan through precinct structure planning process
Implementing the plan to enable new water- sensitive precincts for a growing population.
6. Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut (formerly the Barwon River Parklands project)
Developing a masterplan of the lower Moorabool and Barwon Rivers to enhance the user experience of the unique environmental, cultural and recreational values of this important river corridor.
7. Recycled water on the Bellarine Peninsula stage 3
Improving the quality of recycled water in the existing Bellarine Peninsula scheme.
8. Recycled Water on the Bellarine Peninsula stage 4
Supplying more low-salinity recycled water across more of the Bellarine Peninsula.
9. Investigate feasibility of staged large-scale stormwater and recycled water networks
Exploring the feasibility of the staged implementation of large-scale water networks to enhance connections between diverse local sources of water and regional beneficial use locations.
10. Recycled water to the Surf Coast hinterland
Exploring feasibility of supplying recycled water for agricultural, horticultural and other productive uses.
11. Delivering actions from the Winchelsea IWM plan
Improving the quality of the township’s stormwater outflows entering the Barwon River catchment.
12. Concept and functional design study for Colac botanic pathway and green spine
Creating a continuous recreational pathway to connect key natural assets in Colac.
13. Birregurra sustainable communities
A place-based and community partnership approach to sustainable water use.
14. Recycled water for Bannockburn township
Providing recycled water to reduce the reliance on potable water to irrigate public open spaces.
15. Delivery of Forrest wastewater project
Proposes a whole-of-town wastewater solution.
16. Elliminyt wetlands
Upgrading an underperforming retarding basin draining to the Elliminyt wetlands.
17. Jan Juc Creek daylighting stage 2
Returning a highly-disturbed urban waterway to a more natural state.
18. Ecological restoration of the Waurn Ponds Creek and creation of a biodiversity corridor at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds Campus
Revegetating Waurn Ponds Creek and providing a biodiversity corridor through the centre of the campus.
19. Review of catchment stormwater arrangements for Karaaf wetlands
Applying an IWM approach to understanding and responding to the impacts of urban stormwater on the Karaaf wetlands in Torquay.