Candy Broad MP - Member for Northern Victoria Region

The health of Victoria’s rivers and water catchments will be boosted by $35.3 million in Brumby Labor Government funding for river health and sustainable irrigation projects for 2010/11.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment and Water and State Member for South Barwon Michael Crutchfield announced the funding today while launching a report card that tracks work being undertaken to protect Victoria’s rivers.

“Healthy rivers are the lifeblood of Victoria. They underpin our communities, the economy and the environment and it is vital they are preserved for Victoria’s future,” Mr Crutchfield said.

“Although we have received a large amount of rain in recent months, the effects of the prolonged drought are ongoing and our river systems are still in need of careful management.

“Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) across Victoria will share in more than $24.8 million for river health initiatives with a further $10.5 million devoted to sustainable irrigation projects in 2010/11.

“The funding will build on vital work undertaken as part of the Victorian River Health Program to protect and restore rivers being led by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.”

The Victorian River Health Program Report Card 2002-2009 was released today outlining progress against river health targets set in 2002.

Mr Crutchfield said the Government had performed impressively in the past eight years.

“Even after 13 years of drought, many of the long-term river health targets set in 2002 have already been exceeded and in some cases, doubled or even tripled,” he said.

The results include:

• 402 gigalitres of water recovered between 2002–2009 and added to the Environmental Water Reserve, improving environmental flows in 71 river reaches – far exceeding the 2002 target for improvements to 20 river reaches;
• Works to allow fish to move into approximately 7900km of rivers and streams. This included removing obstructions and building fishways at more than 150 locations – tripling the 2002 target;
• 7066km of rivers and streams have been fenced protecting them from stock access; and
• More than 600 groups, comprising 2,300 volunteers, regularly monitoring rivers at more than 1900 sites across Victoria.

“The Victorian River Health Program has evolved to cope with drought and we are reaching a point where entire systems have been protected through improvements such as erosion control, revegetation and works in the rivers,” Mr Crutchfield said.

“Our Government has invested more than $160 million to improve river health since 2006 to restore thousands of kilometres of waterways, provide habitat for aquatic and plant life and deliver opportunities for community participation and drought-relief employment.

“The funding announced today is part of a larger government commitment of $64.1 million under the Victorian Investment Framework for natural resource management in regional Victoria.

“In the Corangamite CMA region, $839,000 has been allocated for revegetation and maintenance works along a 20km stretch of the Barwon River.

“An additional $403,000 has been approved for works in the upper catchment of the Barwon River to protect native vegetation and water quality and the downstream values of the River,” Mr Crutchfield said.

Funding breakdown

Copies of the Victorian River Health Program Report Card 2002-2009 are available through the Department of Sustainability and Environment customer service centre on 136 186, visiting www.ourwater.vic.gov.au or contacting your local Catchment Management Authority.