The long-list is a comprehensive document of potential flood mitigation options for the Maribyrnong River catchment. These are strategies or interventions that reduce the likelihood of flooding – or its impacts – on communities and infrastructure.
To be considered in the study, a mitigation option must meet the requirements of reducing flood risk and prioritising the safety of communities across the catchment area.
We have drawn on our specialists’ international, national and local experience in flood mitigation to compile the long-list, to make it as comprehensive and robust as possible.
The full long-list contains around 200 options in total. These come from several sources, including:
Above all, options must reduce flood risk – but also be economically and technically feasible, and practical to implement. We’ve therefore screened the long-list using the evaluation criteria.
The screening assess each option on different aspects of the criteria, from ‘highly favourable’ to ‘highly unfavourable’. It also excluded around 150 options that duplicated others on the list, or did not reduce flood risk in the lower catchment.
For example: if a dam cannot store the amount of floodwater needed to impact flood levels, it would be excluded.
This process ensures that we progress options which have the best chance of reducing flood risk, and of protecting people’s safety and homes in the lower catchment. These were the top community priorities we heard during Phase 1.
The handbook is the central source of information about the long-list. It contains the full, unscreened long-list of around 200 options.
It sets out each of the options on the long-list, including information on:
It also provides information on the option categories, including why some categories have been screened out.
The long-list handbook can be viewed online and in print. To obtain a hardcopy, attend one of our in-person events.
The online map displays the 50 or so options that have progressed through screening, to help you understand their proposed location in relation to places of interest.
These options are conceptual only. Their exact location, design and details haven’t yet been finalised, and will be refined as the study progresses.
You can use the map to explore the options, and share your feedback on each one by answering a short survey. We’re also hosting multiple community events in October for you to provide feedback in person.
Your feedback will help us to understand community preferences and influence how we prioritise the shortlisted options during Phase 3 of the study, to begin in early to mid-2026.
There are many factors to consider when assessing flood mitigation options, including geography, engineering feasibility and funding. Some options may not be practical due to these constraints.
Importantly, no option is confirmed for construction yet. Any preferred options will need to go through further steps like funding approvals, environmental assessments and planning approval processes.
We’re committed to keeping you informed about how decisions are made, and why certain options are progressed or not.
Melbourne Water respectfully acknowledges the Bunurong, Gunaikurnai,
Taungurung, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples as the Traditional
Owners and Custodians of the land and water on which we rely and operate.
We
pay our deepest respects to their Elders - past, present and emerging.
