Accross Melbourne. more than four hundred kilometres of constructed waterways have been built, are being constructed or are planned in the greenfield growth areas and townships across the Port Phillip and Westernport region.
Constructed waterways are a critical element of safe and effective urban drainage systems, and play a critical role in ensuring the burgeoning new suburbs around Melbourne are green and liveable.
The Constructed Waterways Design Manual (the CWDM) is an important building block in Melbourne Water’s suite of design resources for blue-green infrastructure in new urban areas. The manual is intended to be the single, authoritative waterway design resource for engineers delivering constructed waterway designs for Melbourne Water.
Melbourne Water is leading the transition to a water sensitive city, through its focus on high quality, multifunctional landscapes that contribute to the Melbourne Water’s Strategic Direction of ‘Enhancing Life and Liveability’. Waterway corridors in new urban developments are critical elements of blue-green infrastructure, which provide:
- Safe conveyance of flood waters
- Effective stormwater drainage outfall to facilitate drainage of smaller flows
- Habitat for native plants and animals
- Green spaces for people to visit for passive recreation and reflection
- Opportunities to provide active transport links through new urban areas
In 2012, Melbourne Water engaged Alluvium to develop the Constructed Waterway Design Manual . Over a two year period the manual was developed through a series of stages: a scoping study, a review of global best practice waterway design, a review of Melbourne Water developer works requirements, design approach development and finally production of the design manual.
Again engaged in 2018 we supported Melbourne Water to finalise the manual to :
- Be targeted waterway designers working within the land development industry who are actively designing waterways to meet Melbourne Water’s requirements
- Set the standard for all developer constructed waterways to be accepted by Melbourne Water
- Be a quick reference guide of current thinking and design to ensure constructed waterways provide optimal performance, are cost effectiveness and are easy to maintain.
