IWM Infrastructure Plan for fishermans bend: CITY of melbourne

Case study: Mitigating flood risks in Melbourne's largest urban renewal zone

In collaboration with the City of Melbourne, Wave Consulting Australia developed an Integrated Water Management (IWM) Infrastructure Plan for Fishermans Bend. With an area of around 480 hectares just adjacent to the Melbourne CBD, straddling two local government areas, Fishermans Bend stands as Australia's largest urban renewal zone.

IWM infrastructure plan
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung lands, Melbourne

Key facts

Fishermans Bend is Australia’s largest urban renewal zone

Challenges include sea level rise and storm surges

Over 1,000 tree pits recommended

The problem

Fishermans Bend, characterised by its significantly flat topography, faces significant challenges from sea level rise and storm surges due to climate change.

Over the past 5-10 years, the City of Melbourne and stakeholders responsible for Fishermans Bend have adopted a comprehensive Water Sensitive Strategy. It was then time to seek a more detailed infrastructure plan and strategy for the entire precinct.

Wave Consulting Australia was tasked with creating an integrated water management (IWM) approach that integrated green infrastructure into public spaes with the aim to:

reduce stormwater pollution entering the bay and river
decrease reliance on potable water
mitigate flooding impacts on both public and private areas.

This work focused on establishing overarching water targets and strategies, taking into account the diverse challenges inherent to Fishermans Bend, such as:

groundwater
topography
sea level rise
climate change
costs and maintenance considerations.

The solution

Wave Consulting Australia embarked on an in-depth modelling and analysis method to determine the optimal placement and size of the IWM infrastructure necessary to support the implementation of the defined strategies. This illustrated how the infrastructure solutions were capable of simultaneously achieving flood storage and water quality objectives.

This final infrastructure plan included the installation of:

over 1,000 tree pits
11,000 trenches
45,000 m2 of raingardens
4 hectares of linear parks.

A big issue from a water and liveability perspective in Fishermans Bend was how best to resolve the threats of flooding and the looming challenge of sea level rise. The project meticulously mapped out the placement of IWM assets to address water quality issues. It also accounted for flood storage requirements, as first outlined in the Fishermans Bend Water Sensitive City Strategy.

The outcome

The City of Melbourne collaborated with Wave to draft a comprehensive Integrated Water Management Infrastructure Plan. The plan offered expert guidance on the use of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) assets across the whole precinct.

This plan was aimed at:

effectively reducing stormwater pollution
minimising potable water consumption
mitigating the adverse impacts of flooding.

The plan provided invaluable expertise to various stakeholders, offering a roadmap for achieving sustainable and resilient water management practices.

Read the full report at Urban Water