Contents
Page Number
1.Introduction
1.1What is Stormwater Run-off?
1.2Why Prepare a Stormwater Management Plan?
1.3Stormwater Management: A Co-ordinated Approach
1.4Purpose of the Moreland Stormwater Management Plan
2.Development of the Moreland Stormwater Management Plan
2.1Methodology
2.2Stakeholder Involvement
2.3Risk Assessment Process
3.The City of Moreland - Background and Receiving Waterway Environments
3.1Land Use and Development
3.2Receiving Waterway Environments
3.2.1Merri Creek Catchment
3.2.2The Merri Creek in Moreland
3.2.3Edgars Creek
3.2.4Merlynston Creek
3.2.5Moonee Ponds Creek Catchment
3.2.6The Moonee Ponds Creek in Moreland
4.Agency Roles in Stormwater Management
4.1Moreland City Council
4.2Melbourne Water Corporation
4.2.1Regional Drainage and Flood Mitigation
4.2.2Waterway Management
4.2.3Water Quality Management
4.2.4Planning Referrals
4.3Environment Protection Authority
4.4Department of Infrastructure (DoI)
4.5Yarra Catchment Implementation Committee
4.6Non-Statutory Bodies
4.6.1Merri Creek Management Committee
4.6.2Moonee Ponds Creek Coordination Committee
4.6.3WaterWatch
5.Policies And Practices
5.1State and Regional
5.1.1State Planning Policy Framework
5.1.2State Environment Protection Policies
5.1.3The Port Phillip and Westernport Regional Catchment Strategy
5.1.4The Yarra Catchment Action Plan
5.1.5Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines for Urban Stormwater (the Guidelines)
5.1.6Construction Techniques for Sediment Pollution Control
5.1.7Best Practice Environmental Guidelines for Major Construction Sites
5.1.8Water Sensitive Urban Design
5.2Municipal and Local
5.2.1Moreland Planning Scheme
5.2.2Suite of Standard Permit Conditions
5.2.3Local Laws
5.2.4Moreland Industrial Development Policy
5.2.5Moreland Open Space Strategy
5.2.6Moreland Waste Management Strategy
5.2.7Moreland Litter Strategy
5.2.8Moreland Litter Trap Action Plan
5.2.9Moreland Road Assets Management Strategy
5.2.10Merri Creek and Environs Strategy
5.2.11Strategy for the Restoration of the Waterways of the Merri Catchment (State of the Environment Report)
5.2.12Development Guidelines for the Merri Creek
5.2.13Moonee Ponds, Attwood and Yuroke Creeks Waterway Management Activity Plan
5.2.14Moonee Ponds Creek Landscape Revival Strategy Report
5.2.15Moonee Ponds Creek Northern Zone Concept Plan
6.Values and Threats
6.1Receiving Water Environment Locations
6.2Receiving Environment Values
6.2.1Identifying and Ranking Values
6.2.2Values of The Moonee Ponds Creek Catchment
6.2.3Values of the Merri Creek Catchment
6.2.4Overview of Receiving Environment Values in Moreland
6.3Threats to Receiving Environments
6.3.1Stormwater Quality Reporting
6.3.2Water Quality Monitoring by EPA
6.3.3Water Quality Monitoring by Melbourne Water
6.3.4Water Quality Studies - Merri Creek Catchment
6.3.5Water Quality Studies - Moonee Ponds Creek Catchment
6.3.6Implications from Water Quality Monitoring
6.3.7Litter
6.3.8Specific Threats Identified by Council and EPA Investigations
6.4Identifying and Ranking Threats
6.5Key Threats in Moreland
6.5.1Major Land Subdivision and Development
6.5.2Building and Construction Activities – Established Residential Areas
6.5.3Other Agency Operations
6.5.4Concrete Industry
6.5.5Operation of Sewerage System
6.5.6Industrial
6.5.7Residential
6.5.8Major Roads & Car Parks
6.5.9Commercial Operations
6.5.10Council Operations
7.Risks, Priorities and Key Issues
7.1Risk Assessment
7.2Key Stormwater Issues in Moreland
7.3Management Strategies to Address Key Stormwater Issues in the City of Moreland
List of Tables
Table 2.1:The Stormwater Management Planning Process
Table 2.2:Membership Information
Table 2.3:Stormwater Values
Table 2.4:Criteria for Ranking Values
Table 2.5:Protocol for Assigning Priorities According to Risk
Table 5.1:Overview of Local Laws
Table 6.1:Moonee Ponds Creek Catchment Values
Table 6.2:Merri Creek Catchment Values
Table 6.3Common Types of Stormwater Threats
Table 6.4:Stormwater Threats in the City of Moreland
Table 7.1:Results of the Risk Assessment - Priorities for Management Strategies
Table 7.2: Key Stormwater Threats
Table 7.3 Consolidated Action Plan
List of Figures
Figure 2.1:Determining Risk
Figure 2.2:Determining Priorities
Figure 3.1:City of Moreland
Figure 6.1:Waterway Reaches in the City of Moreland
Figure 6.2:Stormwater Values in the City of Moreland
Figure 6.3:Stormwater Investigations (EPA) in the City of Moreland
Figure 6.4:Old Landfills and Quarry Sites in the City of Moreland
Figure 6.5:Stormwater Threats in the City of Moreland
Appendices
Appendix AModifications to Planning Policy
Appendix BSuggested Additional Planning Permit Conditions
Appendix CSuggested Structural Treatments
Appendix DLocation of Emergency Relief Structures
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Abbreviations
ALDE-Association of Land Development Engineers
BCC -Building Control Commission
BPEM -Best Practice Environmental Management
CALP-Catchment and Land Protection Board
CICs -Catchment Implementation Committees
CMA -Catchment Management Authority
CRCCH-Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology
DNRE -Department of Natural Resources and Environment
DoI -Department of Infrastructure
EMS-Environmental Management System
EPA -Environment Protection Authority Victoria
ERS-Emergency Relief Structure
MAV -Municipal Association of Victoria
MCC -Moreland City Council
MCMC-Merri Creek Management Committee
MPCCC-Moonee Ponds Creek Coordination Committee
MWC -Melbourne Water Corporation
PIC-Plumbing Industry Commission
PPKPPK Environment & Infrastructure Pty Ltd
PTC -Public Transport Corporation
SWMP-Moreland Stormwater Management Plan
UDIA-Urban Design Institute of Australia
VACC-Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce
VLGA -Victorian Local Governance Association
VSAC-Victorian Stormwater Advisory Committee
VSAP-Victorian Stormwater Action Program
VPP -Victoria Planning Provisions
WSUD-Water Sensitive Urban Design
YVW -Yarra Valley Water
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1.Introduction
The Moreland Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) provides a strategic framework to protect stormwater quality throughout the municipality, thereby protecting local and downstream waterways that receive stormwater run-off. The SWMP has been developed in accordance with the Urban Stormwater Best Practice Environmental Guidelines (1999), utilising an integrated approach involving the various organisations having a role in stormwater management. Volume 1 of the SWMP provides a summary of the key stormwater issues in the municipality and recommendations on how to respond to these issues. Volume 2 contains detailed background information to support the strategic recommendations contained in Volume 1. The two volumes have been designed to act as ‘stand-alone’ documents and therefore contain some similar sections where appropriate.
The aim of the Moreland Stormwater Management Plan is to improve the environmental management of stormwater in the City of Moreland in order to protect and enhance local and downstream waterways that receive stormwater run-off. This aim is supported by the strategies and actions contained in the SWMP.
The SWMP is a component of a long-term vision for the City of Moreland which includes water sensitive urban development. This comprises development in which natural hydrological features are retained, water sensitive urban design principles are consistently utilised, and water conservation and recycling technologies are built into buildings and homes.
1.1What is Stormwater Run-off?
Our cities are characterised by extensive areas covered by hard, impervious surfaces, such as bitumen, concrete and buildings. This aspect of urbanisation has major and far-reaching effects on local hydrology. In particular, much less water can be absorbed by soils and there is less vegetation to use and retain run-off. As a result of increased amounts of urban run-off during storm events, flooding and overloading of the sewerage system can occur. The potential for the incidence of urban flooding to increase in the future also needs to be assessed in light of such factors as ageing infrastructure, urban intensification and climate change.
The traditional response to managing stormwater run-off was to focus primarily on the efficient conveyance of stormwater away from urban environments. This focus on stormwater conveyance has serious consequences on environments receiving stormwater run-off. Effects include increased scouring of streambeds and banks, down-cutting of channels and loss of aquatic and riparian vegetation.
In addition, the activities and land uses occurring in the urban environment release a range of pollutants that are efficiently transported by stormwater run-off to receiving environments. Common pollutants include heavy metals and oils from major roads, sediments from building and construction sites, and various contaminants from household activities (including paint residues, dog faeces and litter). While individually these contaminants may not have significant impacts, their cumulative effects are serious threats to the quality of waterways.
In contrast to the traditional approach to stormwater described above, the current focus of stormwater management is on measures to store and retain stormwater, trap and remove gross pollutants, and improve the quality of stormwater discharged to receiving waterway environments. Furthermore, stormwater is increasingly recognised as a valuable resource that has the capacity to be harvested, thereby reducing the overall amount of stormwater run-off as well as reducing demands on water supply reservoir.
1.2Why Prepare a Stormwater Management Plan?
The City of Moreland has a frontage to many waterways, including the Merri, Moonee Ponds, Edgars and Merlynston Creeks. In addition to performing important drainage functions, these waterways provide the community with a range of other values, including the provision of habitats for a variety of plant and animal species, recreational opportunities, sites of cultural significance, and increased market value of adjacent properties. These waterways and their associated values have the potential to be seriously degraded by stormwater run-off.
Council has a long-standing commitment to natural resource conservation and environmental protection, including the rehabilitation and maintenance of the local waterways. In addition to actively supporting organisations such as the Merri Creek Management Committee and the Moonee Ponds Creek Coordination Committee, Council has already developed a number of strategies (see Section 4.2) that either directly or indirectly address issues related to the quality of local waterways. The Moreland Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) is an important initiative of Council that strengthens and builds on these existing strategies. Importantly, the SWMP is part of a metropolitan wide program initiated in 1998 by Melbourne Water, EPA and MAV to facilitate the improved environmental management of stormwater through development of stormwater management plans by councils across the greater Melbourne area.
1.3Stormwater Management: A Co-ordinated Approach
For some time during the mid-1990s Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA), in consultation with Melbourne Water Corporation (Melbourne Water) and the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), explored various approaches to improve the quality of urban stormwater. The establishment of an agreement between EPA, Melbourne Water and Local Government (represented by MAV) on the desired environmental outcomes with respect to stormwater management and the means to achieve these outcomes was considered the most effective approach to adopt. Accordingly, EPA appointed the Stormwater Committee as an advisory committee to perform the following tasks:
- develop a Stormwater Agreement between EPA, Melbourne Water and Local Government for dealing with the management of stormwater quality;
- develop procedures and arrangements to facilitate implementation of the Stormwater Agreement including:
Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines for urban stormwater management;
recommendations for ongoing arrangements to co-ordinate and oversee the management of stormwater quality;
identification of potential obstacles to the effective management of stormwater quality and advice to EPA of options to overcome these; and
the recommendation to EPA, Melbourne Water and Local Government (represented by MAV) of a Stormwater Agreement for endorsement and adoption.
The Stormwater Committee was formed in late 1996 and is now known as the Victorian Stormwater Action Committee (VSAC). In addition to representatives from EPA, Melbourne Water and Local Government, the committee includes representatives of key interest groups such as the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) and the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).
Based on the above tasks, the Stormwater Committee developed a Stormwater Initiative for improving the environmental management of stormwater systems. The initiative consists of three key components: a Stormwater Agreement; Stormwater Management Plans (SWMPs) for Local Government; and Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines for Urban Stormwater (Stormwater Committee, 1999).
Melbourne Water began administering a program in 1999 to facilitate the preparation of stormwater management plans by all councils across the greater Melbourne area. At the time of completion of this SWMP, the program will be three-quarters completed, with approximately eleven councils in the metro region having completed plans and many others at varying stages of completion.
The Stormwater Initiative recognises the need for an integrated approach to stormwater management. A principle aim of the initiative is to develop a more effective partnership between EPA, Melbourne Water and Local Government to improve the environmental management of urban stormwater and protect the environmental quality of our waterways.
1.4Purpose of the Moreland Stormwater Management Plan
The purpose of the Moreland Stormwater Management Plan is to:
- identify current responsibilities, practices, procedures and obligations for stormwater management in the City of Moreland;
- identify the main values of receiving water environments and the main threats contributing to poor water quality;
- articulate objectives to protect and enhance water quality; and
- outline strategies aimed at protecting and improving the quality of stormwater and receiving water environments.
2.Development of the Moreland Stormwater Management Plan
The Moreland Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) has been prepared in accordance with the methodology contained in the Urban Stormwater Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines (Stormwater Committee, 1999) (henceforth referred to as the Guidelines).
2.1Methodology
The preparation of the SWMP entailed a three-phase process:
- The first phase of the project involved meeting with key stakeholders, data collection and field inspections.
- The second phase focused on the identification of the environmental, amenity, economic, hydraulic and cultural values of the waterways, and the land use activities posing a threat to these values. An assessment and ranking process of this information was then undertaken to confirm the key threats to stormwater receiving environments and establish priorities for addressing those threats.
- The finalphase of the project involved the identification of management options to address prioritised stormwater quality issues, including actions, responsibilities and timing.
The process is summarised in Table 2.1 below.
Table 2.1:The Stormwater Management Planning Process
Stage / ConsultationStage 1: Preliminary Activities
- Establish commitment to the project
- Agree to project framework and scope
- Define problems and information requirements
-Undertake site inspections
-Stakeholder workshop to discuss issues
Stage 2 Risk Assessment
- Consider stormwater threats
- Identify values of receiving environments
- List stormwater issues/activities in order of importance (i.e. threat x value = priority)
Stage 3 Development of Stormwater Management Plan
- Consider options for actions to address priority risks
- Develop list of recommendations based on cost effectiveness, capability, opportunity
- Establish responsibilities, costs and review
In Stage 1 of the process, the commitment of key stakeholders was confirmed, administrative matters were agreed to and the project schedule was refined. The scope of the project was defined through a meeting with key stakeholders, which assisted in assigning accountability, developing the project schedule, identifying data sources and reinforcing the need for stakeholder commitment.
The purpose of Stage 2 was to identify and rank the values of receiving environments and the threats posed by stormwater pollution to those values. It involved a review of information derived from Stage 1, and a workshop to present and confirm the assessment of threats and values. The activities identified as being a threat to stormwater and receiving water quality were then ranked according to their agreed level of risk and were prioritised for action.
Stage 3 of the process focused on the identification and evaluation of best practice approaches to managing priority stormwater risks. The identified and ranked risks were used to develop management strategies and assign responsibilities for implementation of those strategies. A workshop was held to present and confirm prioritised risks, and to identify and evaluate stormwater management options.
2.2Stakeholder Involvement
PPK Environment & Infrastructure was commissioned by Council to develop the Moreland Stormwater Management Plan in close consultation with Council, Melbourne Water, and Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA). Council’s Conservation Planner was responsible for overall project management and final editing of the document. A number of other organisations were involved in the preparation of the SWMP, including the Merri Creek Management Committee and the Moonee Ponds Creek Coordination Committee.
Overall development of the SWMP was directed by a Steering Committee comprised of Council representatives and a representative of Melbourne Water. Regular input and on-going feedback to the content of the SWMP was provided by the project Working Group at regular intervals throughout the project. Membership information is listed below in Table 2.2.
Table 2.2:Membership Information
Steering Committee Members (in alphabetical order)Mr Peter Brown, Director City Works / Mr Chris Chesterfield, Melbourne Water / Ms Lisa Gervasoni, Policy & Projects Officer
Mr Fred Harrington, Manager Environmental Engineering / Ms Rosemary Kerr, Councillor Responsible for Recreation & Leisure / Ms Nancy Krause, Conservation Planner & SWMP Project Manager
Mr Adrian Robb, Director City Strategy / Ms Leigh Snelling, Councillor City Strategy Portfolio
Working Group Members (in alphabetical order)
Mr Paul Buxton, Urban Planning Team Leader / Mr Dennis Gazelle, Team Leader Local Laws / Mr Fred Harrington, Manager Environmental Engineering
Ms Lisa Gervasoni, Policy & Projects Officer / Ms Nancy Krause, Conservation Planner & SWMP Project Manager / Mr Chris LoPiccolo, Infrastructure Assets Co-ordinator
Mr Michael Morgan, Environmental Health Officer / Mr David Taylor, Melbourne Water
Workshop Participants (in alphabetical order)
Mr Brian Bergan, Building Surveyor / Mr Paul Buxton, Urban Planning Team Leader / Mr Chris Chesterfield, Melbourne Water
Mr Robert Davies, PPK / Mr Tony Faithful, Merri Creek Management Committee / Mr Dennis Gazelle, Team Leader Local Laws
Ms Lisa Gervasoni, Policy & Projects Officer / Mr Fred Harrington, Manager Environmental Engineering / Mr Les Horvatch, Unit Manager Street Cleaning
Mr Richard Jennings, Conservation Team Leader / Ms Ann Kirwan, Pentridge Project Co-ordinator / Ms Nancy Krause, Conservation Planner and SWMP Project Manager
Mr Brett Lane, PPK / Mr Chris LoPiccolo, Infrastructure Assets Co-ordinator / Ms Lisa McLeod, EPA
Ms Barbara Mitrevski, PPK / Mr Michael Morgan, Environmental Health Officer / Mr Gavan O’Neil, Moonee Ponds Creek Coordination Committee
Mr Alistair Phillips, Open Space Planning & Design Unit Leader / Mr Craig Pierce, Senior Traffic Engineer / Mr Greg Sharpley, PPK
Mr Craig Smith, PPK / Mr David Taylor, Melbourne Water / Mr Bill Vasiliadis, VicRoads
Ms Kellie Watson, Litter & Waste Education Officer
2.3Risk Assessment Process
The SWMP was developed using a risk-based approach, which involved assessing the risk or likelihood of losing significant values of receiving waterway environments due to the impacts of stormwater pollution and increased stormwater flows. The risk of losing values as a result of these stormwater related threats depends on the scale or severity of the threat and the sensitivity of the receiving environments to that threat. The aim of the risk assessment process was to identify areas where the risk of damage is greatest. This process is represented in Figure 2.1