Development of river health trajectories

In preparation for its 2011 Healthy Waterways Strategy, Melbourne Water engaged Alluvium to design a methodology that could be used to prioritise targets and actions for their river health program. Termed the Trajectories project, key tasks included analysis of:

• catchment history and condition
• condition and trend of selected catchment values
• likely future external impacts on catchment values
• relationships between management actions and values
• predicted outcomes for values based on management regime

The Trajectories project presents clear choices for waterways management by viewing all management actions in a context of past and future catchment change. It provides a sound and defendable basis for prioritisation and incorporates many of the lessons from the last 10 years of waterway management in Australia.