vic_logo

Why we monitor

Water monitoring tells us how much water is available, where the water is, and what quality it is. It provides for accurate and strategic understanding of Victoria’s water resources so they may be managed effectively and transparently.

Monitoring is used for:

  • providing flood warning and forecasting data for Total Flood Warning Systems (water quantity and rainfall)
  • operating storages, transferring water, and tracking water entitlement delivery (bulk, consumptive use, environmental, groundwater extraction)
  • detecting and managing water quality events (blue-green algae, blackwater, hypoxic blackwater, salinity etc).
  • providing water for the environment
  • assessing water resources, licencing, and restrictions
  • assessing the suitability of water quality for use
  • undertaking baseline assessments, and Long-term Intervention Monitoring
  • providing specific data to inform research projects.

High-quality data that can be used to manage water resources more efficiently and effectively can therefore support managers in making these incremental improvements and achieving the associated benefits.

Some of the many benefits associated with good water resource management in Victoria, and which depend on the availability of high-quality data monitoring systems, include:

  • efficient use of water for high-value irrigated agriculture leading to growing economic benefits
  • provision of cost-effective household water, wastewater, and drainage services reducing the cost of delivering the same services
  • recreational benefits from use of clean waterways, lakes and wetlands with adequate water flow or volume
  • environmental benefits from the provision of sufficient volumes of clean water to achieve a range of ecosystem services.

Reviewed 14 June 2024

Was this page helpful?