24 October 2024

The following is an update on the activities and improvements that have been made since.

12-month progress update

In October 2023, the Independent Panel released their report into the causes of the October 2022 Maribyrnong River flood. This contained 15 recommendations, which Melbourne Water accepted, in key areas such as flood modelling, flood forecasting, climate change, land use and planning and long-term sustainable flood mitigation options.

Of the 15 recommendations:

  • 6 have been met or are embedded as standard practice for ongoing implementation
  • the remaining 9 are on track for completion.
Independent Panel recommendations and current status
Recommendation Status
1 Melbourne Water should review flood models every five years and update them every 10 years and after the occurrence of a major flood. Met
2 Melbourne Water needs to ensure that rainfall runoff and flood models are calibrated to observed flood information. Met
3 Melbourne Water should ensure that their rating curves, which represent the relationships between river levels and corresponding river flows, extend also to rare and extreme flood events and have been derived using established best practice. On track for completion
4 Melbourne Water should take account of the best estimates of the impact of climate change when setting flood levels for planning and development and the application of the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay (LSIO). Met
5 Melbourne Water should adopt forecasting tools which enable forecasts to be made within a total of no more than 60 minutes. On track for completion
6 Melbourne Water should use the hydraulic model developed (expected April 2024) to determine (and be subjected to independent peer review) the impact of the Flemington Flood Wall and the efficacy of the associated downstream compensatory works. Met
7 Melbourne Water should commission an independent expert review and audit of their forecasting system with the aim of identifying areas where forecast accuracy, warning times and model run times could be improved. On track for completion
8 Melbourne Water should take account of the change in land use and projected changes to land use when setting flood levels for planning and development and the application of the LSIO. Met
9 Melbourne Water should immediately update the Mid Maribyrnong model with a modern two-dimensional flood model developed in accordance with Melbourne Water guidelines and use this model to set new design flood levels. On track for completion
10 Melbourne Water should have a protocol that enables flood forecasting at intervals at less than 2 hours when prudent to do so by reason of responsiveness of the catchment for significant events. On track for completion
11 Melbourne Water should consult with BoM to develop rainfall forecasts more frequently than 6 hours. On track for completion
12 Melbourne Water should seek the approval of the Minister for Planning to apply the interim planning controls designating the LSIO in locations where flooding occurred, pending the update to the Mid Maribyrnong flood model. On track for completion
13 Melbourne Water should investigate how it came to be satisfied with the reduction of the flood levels and finished floors levels at the Rivervue Retirement Village as specified in the endorsed plans dated 2 June 2009. On track for completion
14 Melbourne Water should investigate the feasibility of installing one-way valves on the outlets from the street and yard drainage from Evergreen Avenue (Rivervue Retirement Village). Complete
15 Melbourne Water should investigate long term sustainable flood mitigation options for the Maribyrnong River. On track for completion
Read the detailed progress update against each of the Panel’s 15 recommendations.

If you need this document in an alternate format, or would like a hard copy posted to you, please contact us at [email protected] or 131 722.

We will take the insights from the review to better inform future decisions and help the community better prepare for any future event.

What’s next?    

We are progressing a detailed assessment of long-term sustainable flood mitigation solutions for the lower Maribyrnong River catchment, that prioritise the safety and resilience of communities and have the greatest impact on reducing the flood risk. Ongoing, transparent and comprehensive communication and engagement with community is a central part of this program. More information will be shared in coming weeks, including the key stages of the process and how the community can get involved. Register to take part.

We are also working with impacted councils and government to translate the new lower Maribyrnong River flood information into draft planning scheme controls.

And we continue to work with the community (in partnership with VICSES and councils) to raise awareness about flood risk and provide guidance on how to prepare for a flood.

Find out more information by reading the full community update:

Related information

Visit the Maribyrnong River Flood Review project page on melbournewater.com.au.