Improving Rural Drainage for Victorians

Victorian landowners and farmers are being encouraged to have their say on a new Rural Drainage Strategy being created by the State Government.

The draft strategy aims to help landholders make choices about how they manage water logging on agricultural land, with a variety of proposed policies and procedures.

Agricultural productivity, and managing the environmental and cultural impacts of drainage are at the forefront of the strategy, with Chair of the Interdepartmental Reference Group Peta Maddy saying it's a community based project.

“The community is invited to have its say on the proposals in the draft Strategy to contribute to setting the new contemporary arrangements for rural drainage.

“This is about giving clarity for landowners about who does what and who is responsible for drainage issues,” Ms Maddy said.

The draft Strategy also proposes to improve the management of rural drainage by:

• Supporting landholders to make choices about how they want to manage rural drainage;

• Clarifying the roles, responsibilities and obligations for land-holders and agencies in rural drainage;

• Rebuilding the capability for agencies and land-holders to manage rural drainage to support agricultural productivity in their region;

• A refresh to streamline the environment and cultural approvals processes to help landholders find pathways to manage rural drainage that protect and improve environmental and cultural values;

• Promote opportunities for landholders and Aboriginal Victorians including Traditional Owners to collaborate in the ways they manage rural drainage.

For more information, community members and other stakeholders are invited to attend their closest regional workshop or can make an online submission via Engage Victoria.

Image Source - DELWP