Alluvium Consulting have been engaged to update the environmental flow recommendations for the Gellibrand River and its major tributaries. This work seeks to understand and document how much water the Gellibrand River needs to be healthy. It will do this by examining flow-dependent environmental values and objectives, as well as identifying key issues such as climate change risks, accounting for any changes in the catchment since the last flow recommendations were developed in 2006.

The study will apply Victoria’s statewide approach for determining environmental water requirements of rivers. The recommendations it develops will inform future environmental water management and integrated waterway management planning.

The steering committee overseeing project implementation involves representatives from Barwon Water, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA), Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC), and Wannon Water.

A project advisory group offers input and feedback throughout the design and development of the FLOWS Study. This group provide a source of local knowledge and insight into community values and expectations for future river health that can feed into the FLOWS process.