Werribee Catchment Snapshot
1. Overview of catchment
2. Highlights of the catchment – natural values
3. Good wins (programs/projects)
4. Key Issues
Friday 17 August 2017
Overview of Catchment
Area: 2,695 km2
Little River, Werribee River, Lerderderg River, Skeleton Creek, Cherry Creek, Laverton Creek and Kororoit
Creek
Basalt plains dominate the region’s geology and the landscape varies from steep-sided hills and gorges to
flat plains
20% natural vegetation
65% agriculture
10% urban development
Major townships – Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Melton, Werribee
Irrigation districts – Bacchus Marsh and Werribee
Overview of Catchment – Cultural Heritage
• Traditional lands of the Wurundjeri, Bunurong and Boon Wurrung east of the Werribee River and Wadawurrung to the west
• Wetlands, river and creek corridors provided an abundance of animals and freshwater for the Aboriginal population
• More than 3500 Aboriginal sites recorded, most near waterways
Overview of Catchment – Priority areas defined in 2013 Strategy
Werribee and Little River
Middle and Upper
Werribee and Little River
Lowlands
Cherry, Kororoit, Laverton
and Skeleton
Overview of Catchment – natural state
Catchment – Environmental Values
Environmental Values:
• Birds
• Fish
• Frogs
• Macroinvertebrates (water bugs)
• Platypus
• Vegetation
Environmental conditions
Environmental values
Environmental Values – Birds
• Over 350 bird species recorded in the catchment
• 134 species are considered riparian specialists and expected to occur
• Current condition of riparian bird community is moderate for much of the catchment
• Wetlands at WTP are of international significance for migratory birds
• Listed vegetation communities (saltmarsh and grassland) support suites of associated species, several threatened
White-bellied Sea-Eagle (John Barkla, Birdlife Australia) Speckled Warbler (John Barkla)
Environmental Values – Fish
21 freshwater species, 13 native
Includes recent records of nationally significant Australian grayling in the lower Werribee River
Several estuarine species, including black bream, yellow-eye mullet, estuary perch, small-mouthed hardyhead
Threats to fish species include:
• several large barriers to movement in the catchment
• Instream and riparian habitat degradation
• lack of stream flows
• urban stormwater (quality and quantity)
Environmental Values – Frogs
Three threatened species in the catchment:
• Growling Grass Frog
• Bibron’s Toadlet
• Southern Toadlet
But neither toadlet has been recorded in the past five years
Upper subcatchments have higher condition rating for frogs compared with the lower subcatchments
Lack of data reduces ability to generate scores at management unit scale
Bibron’s Toadlet Southern Toadlet
Environmental Values – Macroinvertebrates
Based on aquatic macroinvertebrate community surveys since 1990s and modelled predictions (‘LuMAR’ score)
• Stream health highest in forested headwaters
• Moderate-high in upper and middle rural catchments
• Moderate-low in lower, urban reaches
Major threats include:
• Urban stormwater (quality and quantity)
• Instream and riparian habitat degradation
• Lack of stream flows
Catchment - Environmental Values – Platypus
• Platypus mostly found in the lower reaches of the Werribee River, but also middle to upper reaches
• Werribee population considered threatened due to low numbers, continuing long term decline
• Drought had a large impact on populations
• Major threats include:
- reduced stream flows
- urban stormwater (including litter)
- Instream and riparian habitat loss
- Population fragmentation
Environmental Values – Vegetation
• Vegetation is valued by its uniqueness and naturalness
• Forested areas of upper catchments have higher values for riparian vegetation
• Where land clearing extensive riparian vegetation is in very low to moderate condition
• Vegetation values are high within the Ramsar listed wetlands at Western Treatment Plant
• Community projects are helping to improve riparian vegetation
Kayes Drain, Laverton
Catchment– Social Values
Social Values
• Amenity
• Recreation
• Community Connection
Social Values: Amenity
Cherry Lake
Lerderderg River
Kororoit Creek
Social Values: Community Connection
Kayes Drain, Laverton
Kororoit Creek, Albion
Kororoit Creek, Sunshine
Cherry Creek, Seaholme
Social Values: Recreation
• Community perceptions surveys help us understand at a high level why people visit waterways
• 33% of people in the Werribee Catchment visit waterways at least fortnightly
• 80% of people in the Werribee Catchment are satisfied with waterways
• Conditions of waterways – facilities and landscape – influence value for amenity, community connection and recreation
Social Values: Visitation and Satisfaction with waterways
Williams Landing
GOOD WINS - Projects/case studies
Good Wins: Snapshot of Programs in the Werribee
Snapshot of Melbourne Water programs in the Werribee
• River Health Incentives Program • Stream Frontage Management Program • Community Grants • Corridors of Green • Rural Land Program
• Living Rivers Program • Capital works program (waterways) • Maintenance program (waterways and drainage)
Good Wins: Snapshot of Programs in the Werribee
Snapshot of non-Melbourne Water programs in the Werribee
• Greening the West (CWW & partners)
• Grow West (PPWCMA & partners)
• Local Government Strategies (not exhaustive!)
• WCC Environment & Sustainability Strategy 2016-2040
• WCC Health of the Werribee River Report 2015
• CoM Werribee River Shared Trail Strategy
• CoM Environment Plan 2017-2027
• HBCC Biodiversity Strategy 2017-2022
• MSC Sustainable Environment Strategy
Good Wins: Weed Control and Revegetation, Upper Werribee River, Ballan
Before After
Good Wins: Woody weed removal– Toolern Regional Park, Melton South
Toolern Creek -Before
Toolern Creek -Before
Targets in the Current Strategy
Werribee and Little River Middle and Upper
Works Target Achieved* % of target achieved
Km vegetation established 106 56 53%
Km of vegetation managed 487 786 161%
Km of stock exclusion fencing constructed 128 54 42%
Number of fish barriers removed 1 1 100%
Ha of aquatic habitat improved 16 24 148%
Working through our partnerships with
councils and maintenance of our waterways
to achieve stormwater targets:
- 4,250 m3 of Litter/debris removed
- 6,615 m3 of sediment removed
- 90 Clearwater initiatives/workshops to
build capacity, partnerships and knowledge
relating to stormwater
- 39 Living Rivers Grants issued to assist
Councils to develop strategic, educational,
design and construction projects to
improve stormwater quality
- *figures include forecasts for 17/18
Werribee and Little River Lowlands
Works Target Achieved* % of target achieved
Km vegetation established 51 39 77%
Km of vegetation managed 422 159 38%
Km of stock exclusion fencing constructed 11 1.6 14%
Number of fish barriers removed 4 3 75%
Ha of aquatic habitat improved 16 27 157%
Cherry, Kororoit, Laverton and Skeleton
Works Target Achieved* % of target achieved
Km vegetation established 34 37 110%
Km of vegetation managed 324 657 203%
Km of stock exclusion fencing constructed 10 1.9 19%
Number of fish barriers removed -
Ha of aquatic habitat improved 19 1 6%
KEY ISSUES (that we see)
Key Issues - Climate Change
Environmental water shortfalls under climate change
Werribee River
shortfalls up to
18 GL per year
Climate change impacts to waterways include:
• Reduced in total flows • Changes in flow seasonality • Increased cease-to-flow-period in intermittent
streams • Increased frequency and duration of inter-
annual droughts • Increased intensity of storm events
Preliminary estimates derived
using available models and
methods, but should be treated
as indicative only
Key Issues – Population Growth and Urbanisation
Melbourne Metro Population Projections (source: DELWP)
Key Issues – Population Growth and Urbanisation
Population Change – Victoria 2015-16 (Source: ABS)
Key Issues – Population Growth and Urbanisation
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Alamanda Estate Point Cook 400m2
Heritage Springs Estate 750m2
Key Issues: Litter
Litter and dumped rubbish in and around waterways
Key Issues: Pest plants and animals