Regional Floodplain Management Strategies

Regional floodplain management strategies (RFMS) are being developed for each of the Victorian catchment management regions. The strategies will outline aim to determine the roles and responsibilities at a regional and local level.

The development process is being led by Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) in partnership with local councils, the SES, other agency partners and their local communities. All regional strategies will be reviewed periodically by the CMAs and their regional stakeholders. Melbourne Water has already published the Port Phillip and Westernport Flood Management Strategy.

Local communities will decide the level of flood risk they are prepared to live with, and how much they are willing to invest to improve flood risks in their area.

The RFMS development process began with CMAs and local stakeholders assessing the flood risks for locations across their region. The nature of current floodplain management activities, like land use planning and flood warning systems, will be assessed against the severity of the flood risk in each location. Additional activities may be identified where needed, and if the community is willing to invest in floodplain management at that location. These agreed future floodplain management activities will be documented in the RFMS.

Regional strategies will help all agencies with floodplain management functions, including local councils, SES and CMAs, align their priorities, and maximise community benefits with available funding.

Each CMA will be developing a strategy with input from community and stakeholders. Draft strategies will be open for public consultation before completion of the final regional strategies, with CMAs advising local communities of opportunities to get involved.

More information

Contact your local Catchment Management Authority.

More information can also be found in the Preparing for Floods: the right tools at a local level fact sheet (PDF, 5.3 MB) for agencies and stakeholders involved in the development of the RFMS.