Victoria’s climate is changing. Our future is predicted to be hotter and drier. This poses challenges to the water sector because our water resources largely depend on climate. Planning for climate change is important so that Victoria's businesses, industry and communities have water now and into the future.
Guidelines support the water sector in assessing climate change impact
The guidelines support the water sector in assessing climate change impacts on our water resource availability. The 2020 edition builds on the previous 2016 edition and aims to inform the next round of urban water strategies.
The update is a response to Action 2.3 of Water for Victoria. This action requires the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA) to lead climate change adaptation across Victoria’s water systems.
The guidelines cover temperature, potential evapotranspiration, rainfall, runoff and groundwater recharge. These factors are all used across Victoria to assess the impact of climate change on water availability.
The guidelines also include information on changes to climate variability associated with climate change.
Guidelines have been updated
The guidelines have been updated to reflect:
- lessons learnt from previous application of the guidelines
- new research findings, including those from the Victorian Water and Climate Initiative
- new or updated legislation and water policy.
This update ensures that the guidelines remain user-focused, incorporate the best available science and reflect the current context for water management in Victoria.
Benefits of the guidelines include:
- providing tailored guidance on how to apply the climate science
- promoting a consistent approach to climate change impact assessment for water supplies
- enabling more efficient climate change impact assessments.
Guidelines for assessing the impact of climate change on water availability
Page last updated: 27/09/23