Community invitation to develop Maribyrnong River flood mitigation

The first phase of the Maribyrnong River Flood Mitigation Study is starting, and Melbourne Water is calling on the local community to help.

The first phase of the Maribyrnong River Flood Mitigation Study is starting, and Melbourne Water is calling on local community members to get involved.

The Maribyrnong River Flood Mitigation Study will investigate potential solutions to help reduce flood risk now and to the year 2100 and beyond. The study will aim to identify structural and non-structural flood management solutions for the Lower Maribyrnong River catchment.

The study will prioritise the safety and resilience of the local community and the Lower Maribyrnong River ecosystem.

“The Maribyrnong community is invited to play a vital role in investigating traditional and innovative flood mitigation strategies for the Lower Maribyrnong River.

Melbourne Water invites the local community to examine the full suite of available options to help us identify the best plan for the Lower Maribyrnong River,” said Melbourne Water Executive General Manager, Service Asset and Lifecycle Craig Dixon.

“Working together with the community on the study means that the flood mitigation proposals will reflect the needs of the people who live, work and enjoy the open spaces along the river,” he said.

The Maribyrnong River Flood Mitigation Study is anticipated to take up to 18 months to complete. The community will have various opportunities to get involved, including information sessions, pop-up stalls, community outreach, and online engagement. The first opportunity to participate will be a webinar in February, where attendees can meet the project team and learn more about the study.

Melbourne Water is encouraging the community to stay up to date on opportunities to participate by registering their interest on the project webpage: https://letstalk.melbournewater.com.au/maribyrnong-river-flood-model/flood-mitigation-study 

Melbourne Water has awarded Jacobs, one of the world’s largest flood modelling and mitigation services providers, the contract to deliver the flood mitigation study. Jacobs will draw on its Melbourne-based and international teams to design a plan that works for the unique needs of the Lower Maribyrnong River and its community.

Jacobs has delivered major flood mitigation projects in many cities worldwide, including the award-winning East Side Coastal Resiliency project in New York and the Thames Estuary tidal defence program in London. Jacobs will collaborate with Melbourne Water and the local community to assess the feasibility of flood mitigation solutions. The company will consider community and environmental impact, practicality, effectiveness, and cost factors.

“This important process will take time, and we must get it right. Melbourne Water will work closely with the local communities and draw on Jacobs’ expertise to investigate innovative and effective solutions to address flood management challenges,” Dixon said when awarding the contract to Jacobs.

“Jacobs is excited to work with Melbourne Water and the local community to consider long-term, inclusive and effective flood mitigation solutions that reduce future flood risk to communities, businesses and infrastructure,” Mary Kanavoutsos, Australia and New Zealand Market Director of Water from Jacobs said.

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