Monitoring
Monitoring of progress toward the targets of this Regional Catchment Strategy will draw on data and information from diverse sources as outlined in the following table. It is expected that Traditional Owners in this region will be appropriately involved in any data gathering and assessment of progress.
| Theme | Targets | Source of data | Frequency of data updates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water supply and use | 1.1 Water supply and use 1.2 Water for the environment 1.3 Water for Traditional Owners 1.4 Water for agriculture | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH), Melbourne Water | Annual | The monitoring of progress towards these targets is a subset of that undertaken by DEECA and the VEWH, and that undertaken by Melbourne Water to coordinate implementation of the Healthy Waterways Strategy |
| Waterways | 2.1 Vegetation extent along waterways 2.2 Vegetation quality along waterways 2.3 Fish in waterways | Melbourne Water | Annual | The monitoring of progress towards these targets is a subset of that undertaken by Melbourne Water to coordinate implementation of the Healthy Waterways Strategy |
| 2.4 Waterway amenity | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Melbourne Water | Annual | The methods for monitoring waterway amenity will be further developed by DEECA and Melbourne Water, and incorporated into this monitoring program once refined | |
| Wetlands | 3.1 Wetlands water regime 3.2 Wetlands vegetation 3.3 Wetlands water quality | Melbourne Water | Annual | The monitoring of progress towards these targets is a subset of that undertaken by Melbourne Water to coordinate implementation of the Healthy Waterways Strategy |
| 3.4 Ramsar wetlands | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Melbourne Water | Annual | The monitoring of progress towards these targets is a subset of that undertaken by DEECA and Melbourne Water as part of their responsibilities for Ramsar wetland stewardship and management | |
| Groundwater | 4.1 Groundwater supply and use 4.2 Groundwater quality | Southern Rural Water | Annual | The monitoring of progress towards these targets is a subset of that undertaken by Southern Rural Water as part of its responsibilities for groundwater management |
| Native vegetation | 5.1 New parks | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Parks Victoria | Every two years starting in 2024 | This specific data will be requested from DEECA, Parks Victoria and other relevant bodies, and may be supplemented with information about ecosystem health in National, State and Regional Parks collected by Parks Victoria as part of its Signs of Healthy Parks monitoring program |
| 5.2 Permanent protection | Trust for Nature | Every two years starting in 2024 | This specific data will be requested from Trust for Nature | |
| 5.3 Revegetation 5.4 Major new biolinks 5.5 Pest and weed control | Key organisations including Government organisations and Councils | Every two years starting in 2024 | Targeted survey to collect relevant data from each – coordinated by Melbourne Water. This will be supplemented with information collected and collated by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action | |
| 5.6 Threatened vegetation | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) | Every two years starting in 2024 | This specific data will be requested from DEECA as part of its implementation and monitoring of Biodiversity 2037 | |
| Native animals | 6.1 Diversity of native animals | Victorian Biodiversity Atlas and other databanks of native animal records, plus other sources (for example, Council monitoring such as the Shire of Macedon Ranges’ long-term biodiversity monitoring program) | Every five years starting in 2024 | This will be a re-assessment of the likely persistence of native animal species across the region, repeating the method used previously by the Port Phillip & Western Port Catchment Management Authority (now Melbourne Water) so it enables assessment of change and trends over time |
| 6.2 Threatened animals | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) | Every two years starting in 2024 | This specific data will be requested from DEECA as part of its implementation and monitoring of Biodiversity 2037 | |
| 6.3 Pest predator control | Key organisations including Government organisations and Councils | Every two years starting in 2024 | A targeted survey will be undertaken by Melbourne Water to collect relevant data from each organisation, and will be supplemented with any information collected by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action | |
| Land use | 7.1 Land use | Victorian Land Cover Time Series data managed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action | 5 yearly | Updates to this data will enable monitoring over time of changes in land use (including agricultural area, native vegetation area and urban area) |
| Soil health | 8.1 Exposed soil | Australian National University | Annual | This data is annually analysed and published as part of a nation-wide reporting program coordinated by ANU |
| Sustainable agriculture | 9.1 Land for agriculture | Victorian Land Cover Time Series data managed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) | 5 yearly | Updates to this data will enable monitoring over time of changes in land use (including agricultural area, native vegetation area and urban area) |
| 9.2 Sustainable agriculture systems | To be developed | 2-5 yearly (to be defined) | The method for monitoring adoption of sustainable agriculture systems will be developed by DEECA and Melbourne Water, and incorporated into this monitoring program once refined | |
| 9.3 Agricultural production | AgCensus | 4-5 yearly | This data is collected and published as part of a nation-wide census program, and refinement can then be undertaken to cut the data to match this region’s Local Areas | |
| Coasts | 10.1 Coastal vegetation | Victorian Land Cover Time Series data managed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) | 5 yearly | Updates to this data will enable monitoring over time of changes in native vegetation cover in coastal zones |
| Estuaries | 11.1 Estuarine flow regime 11.2 Estuarine vegetation | Melbourne Water | Annual | The monitoring of progress towards these targets is a subset of that undertaken by Melbourne Water to coordinate implementation of the Healthy Waterways Strategy |
| Marine environments | 12.1 Marine water quality | Environment Protection Authority and Melbourne Water | Annual | The monitoring of progress towards this target is a subset of existing water quality monitoring and reporting program |
| 12.2 Marine parks | Parks Victoria | 2-5 yearly (to be determined) | This is part of Parks Victoria’s role managing marine protected areas, and the reporting will draw on information from Parks Victoria’s health assessments of Marine Protected Areas | |
| 12.3 Marine habitat 12.4 Marine pests | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) | 2-5 yearly (to be determined) | The methods for monitoring progress towards these targets will be refined but are expected to draw on monitoring and reporting that will be routinely undertaken by DEECA as part of state-wide marine and coastal programs | |
| 12.5 Fisheries | Fisheries Victoria and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action | 2-5 yearly (to be determined) | The methods for monitoring progress towards these targets will be refined but are expected to draw on monitoring and reporting that is routinely undertaken by Fisheries Victoria and DEECA | |
| Traditional Owners and Aboriginal Victorians | 13.1 Traditional Owners as the ‘voice’ for waterways and Country | Key organisations including Registered Aboriginal Parties, Government organisations and Councils | Every two years starting in 2024 | A targeted survey will be undertaken by Melbourne Water to collect data from relevant organisations |
| 13.2 Cultural heritage sites | Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register | Ongoing | Updated data for this region will be sought each two years | |
| 13.3 Indigenous representation in natural resource management | Key organisations including Registered Aboriginal Parties, Government organisations and Councils | Every two years starting in 2024 | A targeted survey will be undertaken by Melbourne Water to collect data from relevant organisations | |
| 13.4 Indigenous employment in natural resource management | Key organisations including Registered Aboriginal Parties, Government organisations and Councils | Every two years starting in 2024 | A targeted survey will be undertaken by Melbourne Water to collect relevant data from each organisation, and will be supplemented with information from the annual public sector People Matter survey report | |
| Communities | 14.1 Landcare Group health 14.2 Community volunteering | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) | Annual | This is a state-wide survey from which regional- and local-scale information will be extracted, which may be supplemented with additional information collected at a regional scale by Melbourne Water and other organisations |
| 14.3 Community participation | Key organisations including Government organisations and Councils | Every two years starting in 2024 | A targeted survey will be undertaken by Melbourne Water to collect relevant data from each organisation | |
| Climate change | 15.1 Carbon emissions | Victorian Government and water authorities | 2-5 yearly (to be determined) | The method for monitoring progress toward this target will be developed, and is expected to draw on information from the Victorian Government, water authorities and other sources |
| 15.2 Cooling, greening Melbourne | Resilient Melbourne | 2-5 yearly (to be determined) | Progress toward this target will be monitored as part of Resilient Melbourne’s coordination of the Living Melbourne: Our Metropolitan Urban Forest strategy. This will include reassessment of the canopy and shrub cover across areas of Melbourne | |
| 15.3 Climate change adaptation | Key organisations including Government organisations and Councils | Every two years starting in 2024 | A targeted survey will be undertaken by Melbourne Water to collect relevant data from each organisation | |
| Implementation | 16.1 Partner Organisations 16.2 Investment in natural resource management 16.3 Strengthened links with the planning systems | Key organisations including Government organisations and Councils | Every two years starting in 2024 | A targeted survey will be undertaken by Melbourne Water to collect relevant data from each organisation |
| 16.4 Reporting | Collation of data and information from all sources listed above | Every two years starting in 2024 | A report will be prepared and published by Melbourne Water |
Reporting
Reporting on the condition and management of land and water resources in this region will be coordinated by Melbourne Water. Under section 19B of the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, Melbourne Water is required to annually report on the condition and management of land and water resources in the region. The reporting will be in a format consistent with that by the Catchment Management Authorities across Victoria to support state-wide reporting processes.
A mid-term review of the strategy will be undertaken after three years, which will report on progress towards achieving the desired outcomes, assess effectiveness of the strategy to date and identify changes for the strategy or decisions required to deal with more substantial issues.
Major review and strategy renewal will also be undertaken every six years, including extensive community consultation.
