Strategies & Reports

Victoria Flood Management Strategy

The Victoria Flood Management Strategy was prepared for the Government by the State Flood Policy Committee and was launched in July 1998.

The purpose of this strategy is to:

Enable effective flood management for the subsequent ten years, by providing a consistent state-wide framework for the management of flood related issues by the responsible authorities, agencies and groups
Set out objectives, provide a state-wide policy framework for best principles and guidelines, establish priorities for state-wide action, and identify roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders
Provide the state-wide context for the development of regional floodplain management strategies, floodplain management plans and specific guidelines
Provide a process of continual assessment and improvement for flood management in Victoria, through the implementation and periodic revision of the strategy.

The strategy addresses flooding issues largely in the context of regional Victoria where Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) have been established. However, issues relevant to the Port Phillip and Westernport area are incorporated as appropriate.

At the local level, the strategy has been implemented through a range of service providers, such as Catchment Management Authorities, Rural Water Authorities, Local Government and DSE regions.

Copies of the 1998 Strategy Summary Document can be obtained by contacting the Floodplain Management Unit of DSE. The Strategy is currently being reviewed and a draft of the revised Strategy is expected to be released in December 2008 with the Final report expected by June 2009.

Regional Floodplain Management Strategies

The purpose of Regional Floodplain Management Strategies is to enable each Catchment Management Authority to carry out its floodplain management role effectively. It is the primary document which provides a 10 year planning horizon for the CMA's floodplain management activities. It details roles, responsibilities, cost sharing arrangements and key programs for floodplain management stakeholders within the CMA region.

A regional floodplain management strategy is project based and sets out tasks, priorities, timeframes, costs and lead agency/support agency roles for the following six key programs:

Asset Management
Information Management
Local Flood Studies and FPM Plans
Flood Warning and Emergency Planning
Statutory Land Use Planning
Education, Training, Community Awareness.

For further information on the Regional Floodplain Management Strategies, contact the appropriate Catchment Management Authority.

Rapid Appraisal Method for Estimating Flood Damage

A Rapid Appraisal Method (RAM) has been prepared to enable the rapid determination of potential flood damages. It can be used for estimating flood damages within a particular area or region, ranking of proposed flood studies and determining the benefits and costs of proposed floodplain management works and measures.

Rapid Appraisal Method for Floodplain Management (PDF~990kb)

Levee Design Construction and Maintenance

Levees are a part of the landscape and have proliferated on Victorian floodplains. Many have been constructed by governments and agencies but equally as many have been built by individuals privately. The effects of the construction of levees on floodplains is generally poorly understood by individuals who are only concerned about protecting their livelihood and not worrying about the effects the levees may have on others. Failures of levees occur regularly and can worsen flooding in areas directly behind the failed levee than would occur naturally. However, levees have also been responsible for protecting large communities in urban areas from the effects of flooding and prevented damages of millions of dollars. They have also prevented damage to agricultural enterprises and enabled large areas to be highly productive.

To assist managers, designers and constructors of levees, technical guidelines entitled Levee Design, Construction and Maintenance have been produced. They provide general guidance on levees and are not intended to provide solutions to all problems arising in levee construction and maintenance. They should not be used as a substitute for sound engineering consideration of all relevant issues.

Levee Design Construction & Maintenance (PDF~2.0mb)

Economic Benefits of Land Use Planning in Flood Management

Planning measures are aimed at reducing the damages associated with new developments on the floodplain. These measures generally involve land use controls, such as zoning, and design characteristics for buildings, such as minimum floor heights and water proofing.

Planning measures can reduce the costs of flood risk by excluding some activities from the floodplain and by providing conditions under which particular developments would be allowed at locations with given flood risk. Planning measures are generally not aimed at existing buildings and therefore do not reduce the risks of households or business already located on the floodplain. It has been suggested that land use planning is one of the most cost-effective means of reducing the growth of future flood damage in Australia.

A project called Economic Benefits of Land Use Planning in Flood Management was undertaken by URS Pty Ltd in July 2002. Its purpose was to assess the economic benefits and costs of land use planning in flood affected areas in regional Victoria. The specific project objectives were to develop a robust methodology for assessing land use planning, apply this methodology to case study areas in the region of the NCCMA; and to assess the benefits and costs of introducing improved flood controls into municipal planning schemes.

The report found that planning measures are economically effective in floodway areas for all types of development and also for residential development in the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay but may not be economically effective for commercial and industrial buildings.

Economic Benefits of Land Use Planning in Flood Management (PDF~285kb)

Water in the Environment