Australia’s transition to clean energy will have major implications for waterway management that are only now emerging. In this paper we explore how the transition away from coal mining in the Latrobe Valley has the potential to both heal and harm the Latrobe River.
The Latrobe River (Durt’yowan), once described as a working river, has been subject to decades of water extraction, river modification, land use change and declining water quality. Coal mine remediation, increasing demand for water and climate change will intensify pressure on the environmental, cultural, social and economic values of the river system, which is the largest tributary of the internationally significant Gippsland Lakes.
The energy transition offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change trajectory from a working river - to a river that works again. However, business as usual approaches and recurrent funding are insufficient to address the scale, complexity and interconnectedness of threats facing the River.
The West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) is working to harness the energy and aspirations of agencies, Traditional Owners, industry and community groups to collectively respond to the moment, aiming for long-term transformational change at an unprecedented scale that combines water recovery, targeted infrastructure, geomorphic and ecological restoration initiatives. Progress has been made, but there is much work to do.
The Latrobe River provides a case study of the surprising opportunities provided by the clean-energy transition for waterway management. It also shows how, if not well managed, the clean energy transition could lead to further degradation of the river.