Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Water Law and Planning Frameworks Under Climate Change Variability: Systemic and Adaptive Management of Flood Risk

  • Published:
Water Resources Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Climate change is predicted to bring more extreme climatic variability to Australia. Yet recent reforms to Australian water law and governance have typically focused on water scarcity, not floods. In the summer of 2010/2011, devastating floods in a major urban centre and in regional areas were powerful reminders of the need for more systemic and adaptive responses for water resources management. Using Queensland and Victoria as case studies, the article demonstrates how the water law frameworks in both states assume ‘stationarity’ through the adoption of standards such as the 1:100 year flood event probability—an assumption that climate change has rendered unreliable. The article then examines the consequences of reliance on these past modes, particularly in respect of land use planning measures for flood risk adaptation. Finally, this article considers systemic responses for improved flood management focussing on strategic government planning, driven in part by potential litigation in the courts, as well as more local ‘autonomous’ adaptation in community-based initiatives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen Consulting Group (2005) Climate change risk and vulnerability: Promoting an efficient adaptation response in Australia—final report. January. Report to Aust Greenh Off.

  • Baker A, Rasmussen P, Parkyn K, Catchlove R, Kazazic E (2005) A case study of the December 2003 Melbourne storm: the meteorology, rainfall intensity, and impacts of flash flooding. Engineers Australia, 29th Hydrol Water Resour Symp. 21–23 February, Canberra.

  • Birkmann J, Garschagen KF, Quang N (2010) Adaptive urban governance: new challenges for the second generation of urban adaptation strategies to climate change. Sustain Sci 5:185–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bodansky D (2010) The Copenhagen climate change conference: a postmortem. Am J Int Law 104:230–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown RR, Farrelly MA (2009) Delivering sustainable urban water management: a review of the hurdles we face. Water Sci Technol 59(5):839–846

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burrell BC, Davar K, Hughes R (2007) A review of flood management considering the impacts of climate change. Water Int 32(3):342–359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic)

  • COAG (2004) Council of Australian Governments’ Meeting. 25 June, viewed 11 April 2011 <http://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2004-06-25/index.cfm>.

  • Craig RK (2010) ‘Stationarity is dead’—long live transformation: five principles for climate change adaptation law. Harv Environ Law Rev 34:9–73

    Google Scholar 

  • de Wit E, Webb R (2010) Planning for coastal climate change in Victoria. Environ Plan Law J 27(1):23–35

    Google Scholar 

  • DIP (2010) State planning policies. Department of Local Government and Planning, Queensland. Viewed 12 April 2011, <www.dip.qld.gov.au/policies/state-planning-policies.html>.

  • DSE (2011) Office of Water—Strategies and Reports. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria. Viewed 17 July 2011, <http://www.water.vic.gov.au/environment/floodplains/reports>.

  • Durrant N (2010) Legal responses to climate change. The Federation Press, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebert S, Hulea O, Strobel D (2009) Floodplain restoration along the lower Danube: a climate change adaptation case study. Clim Dev 1:212–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • England P (2010) From revolution to evolution: two decades of planning in Queensland. Environ Plan Law J 27:53–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Environment Protection Act 1970 (Vic)

  • Garnaut R (2008) The Garnaut climate change review. Cambridge University Press, Melbourne

    Google Scholar 

  • Gippsland Coastal Board v South Gippsland SC (No 2) (2008) Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal 1545 (29 Jul 2008).

  • Godden L, Peel J (2010) Environmental law: scientific, policy and regulatory dimensions. Oxford University Press, Melbourne

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunningham N, Holley C, Shearing C (2007) Neighbourhood environment improvement plans: community empowerment, voluntary collaboration and legislative design. Environ Plan Law J 24:125–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Head L (2010) Cultural ecology: adaptation—retrofitting a concept? Prog Hum Geogr 34(2):234–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs R (2009) Woodland restoration in Scotland: ecology, history, culture, economics, politics and change. J Environ Manag 90:2857–2865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt A, Watkiss P (2011) Climate change impacts and adaptation in cities: a review of the literature. Clim Change 104:13–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2001) Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. IPCC Third Assessment Report. Cambridge University Press, UK and New York.

  • IPCC (2007a) Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In: Solomon S, Qin D, Manning D, Chen Z, Marquis M, Averyt KB, Tignor MMB, Mille HL (eds). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York.

  • IPCC (2007b) Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In: Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York.

  • IPCC (2007c) Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In: Metz B, Davidson OR, Bosch PR, Dave R, Meyer LA (eds). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York.

  • Ison R (2010) Systems practice: how to act in a climate change world. The Open University/Springer, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Leary N, Adejuwon J, Barros V et al (2008) A stitch in time: general lessons from specific cases. In: Leary N, Adejuwon J, Barros V, Burton I, Kulkarni J, Lasco R (eds) Climate change and adaptation. Earthscan, London, pp 1–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Levina E, Tirpak D (2006) Adaptation to climate change: key terms. OECD/IEA, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd S, Wong THF (2008) Paired catchment storm event monitoring: assessing the performance of a bioretention system (rain gardens). Aust J Water Resour 12(2):133–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Macintosh A (2010) A theoretical framework for adaptation policy. In: Bonyhady T, Macintosh A, McDonald J (eds) Adaptation to climate change—law and policy. The Federation Press, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  • Maribyrnong CC (2004) A neighbourhood environment improvement plan for the Lower Stony Creek Corridor. Maribyrnong City Council, Melbourne

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald J (2007) A risky climate for decision-making: the liability of development authorities for climate change impacts 24 EPLJ 405–417.

  • McDonald J (2010a) Mapping the legal landscape of climate change adaptation. In: Bonyhady T, Macintosh A, McDonald J (eds), Adaptation to climate change: law and policy. The Federation Press, pp 1–37.

  • McDonald J (2010b) Paying the price of adaptation: compensation for climate change impacts. In: Bonyhady T, Macintosh A, McDonald J (eds) Adaptation to climate change—law and policy. The Federation Press, pp 234–264.

  • Milly PCD, Betancourt J, Falkenmark M, Hirsch RM, Kundzewicz ZW, Lettenmaier DP, Stouffer RJ (2008) Stationarity is dead: Whither water management? Science 319:573–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minister for Planning v Walker (2008) New South Wales Court of Appeal 224.

  • Moser SC, Ekstrom JA (2010) A framework to diagnose barriers to climate change adaptation. Proc Nat Acad Sci 107(51):22026–22031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NCWE (2003) Guidelines for responding to the effects of climate variability and change in hydrology and water resource engineering (draft position paper, National Committee on Water Engineering). Aust J Water Resour 7(2):155–158

    Google Scholar 

  • NWC (2009) Improving environmental sustainability in water planning. National Water Commission Waterlines Report 20 (September).

  • Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic).

  • Powell S (2010) An insurer’s approach to management of climate risks. In: Bonyhady T, Macintosh A, McDonald J (eds) Adaptation to climate change—law and policy. The Federation Press, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston BJ (2010) The role of courts in relation to adaptation to climate change. In: Bonyhady T, Macintosh A, McDonald J (eds) Adaptation to climate change—law and policy. The Federation Press, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  • Quiggin J (2008) Uncertainty, risk, and water management in Australia. In: Crase L (ed) Water policy in Australia. Resources for the Future, Washington DC, pp 61–73

    Google Scholar 

  • RDV (2011) Assistance package for flood-affected Victorian irrigators. Regional Development Victoria. Viewed 8 May 2011, <http://www.rdv.vic.gov.au/news/assistance-package-for-flood-affected-irrigators>.

  • Schreider SY, Smith DI, Jakeman AJ (2000) Climate change impacts on urban flooding. Clim Change 47:91–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoeckel K, Abrahams H (2007) Water reform in Australia: The National Water Initiative and the role of the National Water Commission. In: Hussey K, Dovers S (eds) Managing water for Australia: the social and institutional challenges. CSIRO Publishing, Australia, pp 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Sultana P, Thompson P, Green C (2008) Can England learn lessons from Bangladesh in introducing participatory floodplain management? Water Resour Manag 22:357–376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (Qld).

  • Tan P-L (2010) Adaptation measures for water security in a changing climate: policy, planning and law. In: Bonyhady T, Macintosh A, McDonald J (eds) Adaptation to climate change—law and policy. The Federation Press, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  • VPP (2011) Victoria Planning Provisions. Department of Planning and Community Development, Victoria. Viewed 11 April 2011, <www.dse.vic.gov.au/planningschemes/VPPs>.

  • Walker v Minister for Planning [2007] New South Wales Land and Environment Court 741.

  • Water Act 1989 (Vic).

  • Water Act 2000 (Qld).

  • Water Industry Act 1994 (Vic).

  • Werners SE, Flachner Z, Matczak P, Falaleeva M, Leemans R (2009) Exploring earth system governance: a case study of floodplain management along the Tisza river in Hungary. Glob Environ Chang 19:503–511

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wesselink A, de Vriend H, Barneveld H, Krol M, Bijker W (2009) Hydrology and hydraulics expertise in participatory process for climate change adaptation in the Dutch Meuse. Water Sci Technol 60(3):583–595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westra S, Varley I, Jordan P, Nathan R, Ladson A, Sharma A, Hill P (2010) Addressing climatic non-stationarity in the assessment of flood risk. Aust J Water Resour 14(1):1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong THF (2006a) An overview of water sensitive urban design practices in Australia. Water Pract Technol 1(1): not paginated.

  • Wong THF (2006b) Water sensitive urban design—the journey thus far. Aust J Water Resour 10(3):213–222

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank the reviewers for their helpful and incisive comments, the journal and its editorial management; and to acknowledge the support provided by the Australian Research Council grant DP0987850 Responding to Climate Change: Australia's Environmental Law and Regulatory Framework.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anthony Kung.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Godden, L., Kung, A. Water Law and Planning Frameworks Under Climate Change Variability: Systemic and Adaptive Management of Flood Risk. Water Resour Manage 25, 4051–4068 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-011-9887-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-011-9887-x

Keywords

Navigation