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We draw on scientific, Traditional Owner and community knowledge about rivers and wetlands to measure the success of environmental watering. This knowledge helps us understand environmental watering outcomes at the grass roots, and identify local and regional trends and priorities.

How we know the environmental watering program is successful

The effect of water for the environment in Victoria is assessed through large-scale monitoring programs run by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and the Commonwealth Government that measure indicators at multiple sites over several years, as well as investigations examining responses at a single wetland or river reach.

These monitoring programs include:

  • the Environmental Water Monitoring and Evaluation Program led by DEECA Water and Catchments Group which aims to assess and understand the ecological outcomes of environmental watering, so water can be delivered more effectively to improve the health of rivers, wetlands and floodplains
  • the MDBA’s monitoring activities at Barmah Forest, Gunbower Forest, Hattah Lakes and the Lindsay, Mulcra and Walpolla islands as part of the Living Murray Program
  • the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s Flow-MER program monitoring the responses of fish, vegetation, bugs, stream metabolism and bank erosion to environmental flows in the lower Goulburn River.

The VEWH reports on environmental watering outcomes and achievements each year.

What is monitoring and how is it done?

Monitoring environmental watering includes observing, recording and evaluating one or more environmental flows and the associated outcomes over a period of time.

Examples of tools used to monitor environmental flows include water gauges to record volumes of water travelling past a certain point, electrical conductivity meters to measure salinity (dissolved salt) levels in the water, drift nets to pick up fish eggs floating in the water, and vegetation quadrants to measure native plant presence and change near a river or wetland.

Why is it important to monitor environmental watering?

Environmental watering aims to improve the health of modified river and wetland systems and protect the environmental values that remain.

Monitoring environmental watering helps answer questions on when environmental watering is achieving results, and what may be improved, and when changes may need to occur.

Monitoring of environmental watering aims to:

  • ensure accountability by enabling environmental water managers to report on the use of environmental water
  • improve efficiency by facilitating learning and improved management
  • ensure transparency by investigating and communicating the ecological benefits of environmental watering.

Page last updated: 05/10/26