About the Victorian Environmental Water Holder

The Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) was established on 1 July 2011 through an amendment to the Victorian Water Act 1989 (the Water Act), passed by the Victorian Parliament in August 2010. The VEWH is the
independent statutory body responsible for holding and managing Victoria’s environmental water entitlements (the Water Holdings). The use of the Water Holdings for environmental watering is critical in ensuring Victoria’s rivers, wetlands and floodplains continue to maintain and improve the environmental benefits communities value most.

The VEWH works with catchment management authorities and Melbourne Water to ensure environmental water entitlements are used to achieve the best environmental outcome with the water that is available.

Mission and values

The mission of the VEWH is to:
Manage Victoria’s environmental Water Holdings, in cooperation with partners, to improve the environmental health of rivers, wetlands and floodplains.

In undertaking its mission, the VEWH:

• makes decisions on the most effective use of the Water Holdings, including use, trade and carryover
• authorises waterway managers to implement watering decisions
• liaises with other water holders to ensure coordinated use of all sources of environmental water
• publicly communicates environmental watering decisions and outcomes.
  commissions targeted projects to demonstrate ecological outcomes of environmental watering at key sites. 

The VEWH's values are:

• Collaboration
• Integrity
• Commitment
• Initiative.

Key VEWH documents

• Seasonal Watering Plan -  sets the scope for where, when, how and why environmental water will be used across Victoria’s rivers, wetlands and floodplains.
  
• Annual Report - details the activities and financial performance for each financial year of the VEWH's operation.
  
• Reflections - environmental watering in Victoria - tells the stories of environmental watering in 19 systems across Victoria. Each chapter includes an interview with a catchment management authority or Melbourne Water representative, providing a unique and personal look at environmental watering in each system.
  
• Watering Update - this regular update provides an overview of the environmental watering actions happening across Victoria