DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Water
Wimmera's Water Resources | Water Resource Management | Access to Water | Stream Condition | Catchment Management
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| Groundwater resources in the Wimmera are part of the larger Wimmera-Mallee stock and domestic supply system, which is thought to be the largest water supply system of its kind in the world. The Wimmera-Avon Basin region has large reserves of groundwater with varying salinity levels. Good quality groundwater is found in the far west of the Basin. Elsewhere, the groundwater is generally of poor quality, and therefore, it is of limited use. The main surface water resources in the Wimmera region are the Wimmera, Avoca and Richardson Rivers. Their catchment areas are 4 066 kmē, 2 668 kmē and 137 kmē respectively. Streams include Yarriambiack Creek and Dunmunkle Creek. Major lakes include Lake Hindmarsh, Buloke, Wyn Wyn and Mitre Lake. Major water storages throughout the region include Lake Wartook, Toolondo Reservoir, Rocklands Reservoir, Lake Bellfield, Pine Lake. |  McKenzie Falls on the McKenzie River |
In June 2004 the Victorian State Government announced the biggest program of water sector reform and water pricing in the State's history. Our Water Our Future (external link) is an 'action plan' to enable smarter water use and management across the State. It sets out 110 new initiatives for water conservation aimed at every sector of the community. It examines household use, industrial and agricultural use, recreation and tourism, environmental impacts, pricing, population increases and climate change to ensure there is plenty of water to sustain growth over the next 50 years.
A wide range of Victorian Water Resources data (external link) 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, active EPA sites, and groundwater bores.
The Victorian Water Resources Data Warehouse (external link) is dedicated to disseminating up-to-date information on Victoria's water resources. The site gives access to both raw and summary data on both water quality and quantity throughout Victoria, and is a central repository for published documents produced from this data.
Water information on Statewide VRO website.
Status of Water Resources and Supplies in Victoria
© The State of Victoria, 1996 - 2008.
This document was last reviewed on 04/09/2008