Water for the environment is water that’s set aside in storages such as dams and released or ‘delivered’ to help native plants and animals survive, thrive and reproduce. It also helps to maintain and improve waterway health needs such as connectivity, water levels and water quality.
The seasonal watering plan is a state-wide plan outlining where, when, and why water for the environment can be delivered throughout Victorian waterways.
The plan is based on trusted scientific evidence, including environmental requirements for certain types of water flows to trigger natural lifecycles, such as animals breeding or migrating, and forests regenerating.
The plan also provides the community with visibility of the potential deliveries of water for the environment, and how they've been planned to also provide benefits for cultural, social, economic and recreational values.
The plan is developed by the VEWH in close partnership with waterway managers – who engage extensively with their communities including Traditional Owners, storage managers, land managers, and scientists – to ensure a planning process that is informed by scientific understanding, local and cultural knowledge, and on-ground evaluation.
This robust planning process helps instil greater confidence in our decision making, on how to make the most of every drop of water available for the environment, for all likely climate scenarios, for the greatest environmental benefit.
The plan is a demonstration of the ongoing commitment of our program partners - waterway managers, storage managers and land managers - to achieve the best possible outcomes from water for the environment.
The annual seasonal watering plan is published on or by June 30.
