Water Map of Melbourne

Purpose of the Map

Released in October 2004, The Water Map of Melbourne is an exciting product containing extensive detail about the use of water within Greater Melbourne. It captures Melbourne’s water history, water supply and treatment infrastructure, and water saving and recycling initiatives. The Map (paper version 130 cm x 90 cm) and CD ROM were developed by Earth Systems with the support of the Smart Water Fund. Additional support was provided by EPA Victoria and the City of Melbourne.

The Water Map of Melbourne comprises both a spatial and a non-spatial component (accompanying charts and tables), and aims to increase awareness and knowledge of the issues, achievements and impacts associated with water use across Greater Melbourne. In an easily digestible form on two media – paper map and CD ROM, it highlights achievements, current issues and future directions.

The Water Map of Melbourne is a resource for all those with an interest in Melbourne’s use of water and the life cycle of water in a city – including professionals needing a ready reference for key water trends, statistics and noteworthy events, and students wanting information about major issues facing Melbourne’s future water resource management and use.

Features

Water Map of Melbourne (Click to enlarge).

Principal support from SmartWater Fund. Also supported by the EPA and City of Melbourne. Smartwater Fund participants are: Melbourne Water, City West Water, South East Water, Yarra Valley Water and Department of Sustainability and Environment.

The spatial component of The Water Map of Melbourne identifies:

Major Water Achievements
Water Saving and Recycling
Water History
Extreme Water Events
Major Water Diversions
Community Initiatives
Location and Extent of Significant Wetlands
Aquatic Biodiversity
Threatened Species
Introduced Species
Water Supply Catchments
Reservoirs
Rivers & Catchments
Lakes
Major Water Supply Pipelines
Water Supply Treatment Plants
Major Irrigation Districts
Water Landmarks
Major Sewerage Mains
Wastewater Treatment Plants
Water Impacts
Stormwater and Runoff
Water Authority Boundaries
Water Quality
Rainfall Charts

The non-spatial component of The Water Map of Melbourne comprises over 50 charts and tables separated into 8 categories:

Click on the links to view close up images of selected charts on the map.

Creating the Map

The Map synthesises a large amount of water-related data sourced from a wide range of articles, books, reports and web resources into an information-packed overview of Melbourne’s water issues and initiatives. Click here for a list of key resources used. Data for the Map was reviewed by a Technical Steering Committee comprising water experts from professional associations, government, industry, research and non-government organisations. The Technical Steering Committee were:

Ms Sheridan Blunt – City of Melbourne
Mr Peter Donlon – Water Services Association of Australia
Mr Jim Elliott – Bureau of Meteorology
Dr. Peter Fisher – Central Queensland University
Mr Lance Lloyd – Lloyd Environmental
Mr Nigel Murphy – Earth Systems
Dr Catherine Oke – Earth Systems
Mr Graham Rooney – Melbourne Water
Assoc. Prof. Ian Rutherfurd – University of Melbourne
Ms Jane Ryan – DSE Water Sector Group
Ms Monique Sweetland – Research Consultant
Dr Jeff Taylor – Earth Systems

Sponsors and Supporters

The Water Map of Melbourne was developed with Principal Support from Smart Water Fund. Its development was also supported by the EPA and City of Melbourne. Smart Water Fund participants are: Melbourne Water, City West Water, South East Water, Yarra Valley Water and Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Resources

Books, Reports and Papers

Allen, G.R., Midgley, S. H. & Allen, M., 2002, Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia, Western Australian Museum.
Australian Academy of Technical Studies and Engineering, 2004, Water Recycling in Australia, ATSE.
Australian Research Centre for Water in Society, 2002, Perth Domestic Water Use Study: Household Appliance Ownership and Community Analysis, 1999 -2000.
Australian Water Association, 2000, The Australian Water Industry 2000, The Australian Water Association.
Bolger, P.& Stevens, M., 1999, Contamination of Australian Groundwater Systems with Nitrate, Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation.
Brizga, S.O., Finlayson, B.L., Campbell, I.C., Peel, M.C. & David, L., 1998, Effects of Water Resource Management on the Yarra River Environment from the Upper Yarra Dam to Warrandyte to 1994, Centre for Environmental Applied Hydrology.
Brown-May, A., 1998, Melbourne Street Life – The itinerary of our days, Australian Scholarly Publishing.
City of Melbourne, 2002, Bulletin 5: Environmental Indicators for Metropolitan Melbourne, Australian Institute of Urban Studies & City of Melbourne.
City of Melbourne, 2002, Draft Sustainable Water Management Strategy, City of Melbourne.
City of Melbourne, 2003, Bulletin 6: Environmental Indicators for Metropolitan Melbourne, Australian Institute of Urban Studies & City of Melbourne.
City of Melbourne, 2003, WaterMark: Towards sustainable water management by 2020.
City of Melbourne, 2004, Total Watermark.
City West Water, 2003, Sustainability Report 2003: Today for Tomorrow.
City West Water, South East Water, Yarra Valley Water & Melbourne Water, 2004, 2004/05 Metropolitan Water Recycling Plan.
Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, 1994, The Estimation of Probable Maximum Precipitation in Australia: Generalised Short-Duration Method, Bulletin 53, December.
Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, 2001, Arrangements for Flood Warning Services in Victoria
Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, 2001, Climate of Melbourne, the Federation City, Victorian Regional Office, Climate and Consultancy Section.
Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, 2002, Climate Data: Australia Version 2.2
CSIRO, 1996, Port Phillip Bay Environmental Study 1992 – 1996, CSIRO.
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, 2002, Victoria’s Biodiversity: Directions in Management, Victorian Government, DNRE.
Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2003, Victorian Government Green Paper for Discussion: Securing Our Water Future, Victorian Government, Department of Sustainability and Environment.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria, 2002, Environment Report. Port Phillip Bay Water Quality: Long Term Trends in Nutrient Status and Quality 1984 – 1999, EPA Victoria.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria, 2003, Environment Report: Beach Litter Surveys 2002-2003, EPA Victoria.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria, 2003, Environment Report: Beach Report 2002-2003, EPA Victoria.
Hunter, D., 2004, Sustainability – The complexities of delivering a viable urban development project.
Keating, J., 1992, The drought walked through: a history of water shortage in Victoria, Department of Water Resources Victoria.
Leonard, J., 1992, Port Phillip Region Groundwater Resources – Future Use and Management, Department of Water Resources Victoria.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 1993, Tagged Litter Report, Melbourne Water, Melbourne Parks and Waterways.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 1996, The State of Greater Melbourne’s Waterways: Streamwatch Annual Report 1996
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2001, Earthworks uncover a rare find, The Source, Issue 16.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2001, Public Health Review 2000/01.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2002, Essential Facts Brochure: Summary Waterway Water Quality Data 2002, Melbourne Water Website.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2003, Water Resources and the Environment 2002/2003, Melbourne Water Corporation.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2004, Draft Port Phillip and Westernport Regional River Health Strategy, Melbourne Water Corporation.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2004, Melbourne’s Rivers and Creeks, Melbourne Water Corporation.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2004, Watertight Goal, The Source, Issue 31.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2004, Public Health Compliance: Quarterly Report, Quarter 3 2003/2004.
Melbourne Water Corporation, 2004, Public Health Compliance: Quarterly Report, Quarter 4 2003/2004.
Open Space 2000, Bay to Ranges, Caring for Port Phillip Bay: Now and into the Future.
Outer Suburban/Interface Services and Development Committee, 2004, Sustainable Urban Design for New Communities in Outer Suburban Areas, Parliament of Victoria, http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/osisdc/inquiries/sustainableurbandesign/OSISDC-Discussion_SustainableUrbanDesign_22-12-2003.pdf
Parslow, J., 2000, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Budgets for Port Phillip Bay, http://data.ecology.su.se/mnode/Australia/PortPhillipBay/ppbbud.htm
Port Phillip and Westernport Regional River Health Strategy, Stakeholder Draft, March 2004.
South East Water, 2003, Annual Report 2003: A precious resource…for today and tomorrow.
State of the Environment Advisory Council, 1996, Australia: State of the Environment 1996, Commonwealth of Australia.
Victorian Water Industry Association Inc, 2003, Victorian Water Review 2002/200: An Accountability Report of the Victorian Water Industry, Victorian Water Industry Association Inc.
Wallbrink, P.J., Hancock, G.J., Olley, J.M., Hughes, A., Prosser, I.P., Hunt, D., Rooney, G., Coleman, R. and Stevenson, J., 2003, The Western Port sediment study, CSIRO Land and Water.
Water Resources Strategy Committee for the Melbourne Area, 2002, 21st Century Melbourne: a Water Smart City. Final Report: Stage 3 in Developing a Water Resources Strategy for the Greater Melbourne Area, Victorian Government
Water Services Association of Australia, 2001, Urban Water Use and Management in Australia, Water Services Association of Australia.
Water Services Association of Australia, 2001, The Australian Urban Water Industry: WSAAfacts 2001, Water Services Association of Australia.
Water Services Association of Australia, 2003, The Australian Urban Water Industry: WSAAfacts 2003, Water Services Association of Australia.
Water Victoria, 1989, Water Victoria: A Resource Handbook, Department of Water Resources Victoria.
Water Victoria, 1990, The Environmental Condition of Victorian Streams.
Waterwatch Victoria, 2003, Waterwatch Victoria 2003 – Regional Case Studies.
Yarra Valley Water, 2003, The Sustainability Journey: Annual Report 2002-03.

Websites

Australian Museum Fish Site, http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/
Australian Society for Fish Biology, http://www.asfb.org.au
Barwon Water, www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au
CERES, www.ceres.org.au
City of Melbourne, www.melbourne.vic.gov.au
City West Water Limited, www.citywestwater.com.au
Clean Ocean Foundation, www.cleanocean.org
Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, www.bom.gov.au
Department of Primary Industries (Victoria), www.dpi.vic.gov.au
Information Series, http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nreninf.nsf
Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria), www.dse.vic.gov.au; Groundwater Quality and Use, www.nre.vic.gov.au/dnre/grndwtr/use.htm.
Plants and Animals, http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dse/nrenpa.nsf
Environment Australia, Australian Wetlands Database, http://www.deh.gov.au/water/wetlands/database/
Melbourne Water Corporation, www.melbournewater.com.au
National Land and Water Resources Audit, 2004, Australian Natural Resources Atlas, www.nlwra.gov.au
Parks Victoria, www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Victorian Coastal Council, Victorian Coastal Awards for Excellence 2004, http://www.vcc.vic.gov.au/excellence/excellence2004.htm
Victorian Government, Our Water Our Future, www.ourwater.vic.gov.au
Victorian Litter Action Alliance, http://www.litter.vic.gov.au
Victorian Resources Online, http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/web/root/Domino/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/vrohome
Save Water Awards, www.savewater.com.au
South East Water Limited, www.sewl.com.au
Southern Rural Water, www.srw.com.au
Western Water, www.westernwater.com.au
Yarra Valley Water, www.yvw.com.au
Yarra Tourism and Yarra Precinct Association, www.yarrariver.info

Water Map of Melbourne

Purpose of the Map

Features

Creating the Map

Sponsors and Supporters

Resources

Sectors We Serve

Recent News

Report for The International Network for Acid Prevention

Contact