DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Stream Condition and Water Quality
| The Victorian Government River Health Program restores and protects rivers and catchments - treating issues of declining water quality, degraded river habitats, and the flow needs of our environment. Further information on River Health can be found on the DSE website - including information on environmental flows. Information on the Victorian River Health Strategy (external link) can also be found on the DSE website. Waterway Health Plans Protecting Fish Passage In-Stream Biota Aquatic acroinvertebrates, and other instream biota, are very useful indicators in biological monitoring. |  Merri River catchment, south west Victoria |
Biological Assessment of Rivers and Streams (external link)
This Environment Protection Authority River health Bulletin, in PDF, provides information on the biological assessment of rivers and streams, including the SIGNAL index and AusRivAS.
Freshwater Ecology Research (external link)
This site provides information about DSE's freshwater ecology research; including flow assessment, fish ecology and conservation biology, macroinvertebrates, water quality, aquatic ecotoxicology, fishway design, and aquatic taxonomy.
Water Quality
Presents links to information on the State Environment Protection Policies for Victorian Waters; Algal Blooms and Nutrient Management; and Water Quality Testing.
Monitoring River Health
A number of programs have been established to monitor or assess the health of streams.
This page presents links to the Index of Stream Condition; stream flow, river health and water quality trend information; and to community monitoring programs.
 Tanjil River, in the forested north-western part of the La Trobe Basin, 1989. Photo: State of the Streams Survey, DWR, 1989 | The health or condition of a stream can be described by the 5 major components that characterise a stream: water quality, water quantity (hydrology), instream biota, physical form (bed, banks and instream habitat) and the riparian or streamside zone. Victorian River Health Strategy (external link) The draft Victorian River Health Strategy outlines the Government's long-term direction for the management of Victoria's rivers. It provides a clear vision for the management of rivers in Victoria, comprehensive policy direction on issues affecting river health and most importantly, a blueprint for integrating all our efforts on rivers and for ensuring that we get the most effective river health benefits for the effort and resources invested. |
Stream Condition and Water Quality Data A wide range of water data can be accessed via MapShare (external link) in the form of an interactive map, using information from DSE. This information includes active water quantity sites, active water quality sites, active Waterwatch sites, Index of Stream Condition sites, and active EPA sites. Related Links |
Victorian Water Quality Monitoring Network - Statewide Trend Analysis Report is available as a downloadable report from the Victorian Water Data Warehouse website (external link).
Downloadable information on EPA Victoria's website
Threats to Victoria's Water Environment (external link)
Biological Objectives For Rivers And Streams - Ecosystem Protection (external link)
Policy background paper for the Draft State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria)
Nutrient Objectives For Rivers And Streams - Ecosystem Protection (external link)
Policy background paper for the Draft State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria)
Point Source Discharges To Streams: Protocol For In-stream Monitoring And Assessment (external link)
Our Water Our Future: Draft Outline of the State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria) (external link)
Information on the estuarine health project on the Museum of Victoria website (external link)
© The State of Victoria, 1996 - 2008.
This document was last reviewed on 04/09/2008