Urban Streams and Storm Water Control

The last decade has seen a paradigm shift in the way we manage urban stormwater. Opportunities are arising to reduce the impact on receiving streams. A method developed to protect the physical form of streams is being used in the U.S. (Hawley and Vietz, ‘Addressing the urban disturbance regime’) and is now being applied to streams in the Melbourne region including Merri Creek and around Sunbury. The approach assists planners and waterway managers to identify the flows that cause physical degradation of streams, and helps in identifying stormwater control measures that protect and improve stream condition.