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