Sugarloaf Pipeline Project - Environmental Impacts
The potential environmental impacts of the Sugarloaf Pipeline have been taken into consideration during the pipeline's preliminary design stages, but more environmental assessment work will continue to be undertaken.
There are three potential environmental impacts:
- Extracting water from the Goulburn River
- Removing trees and other flora when the pipe is being laid
- Greenhouse gas emissions from the energy required to pump the water through the pipe
Extracting water from the Goulburn River
The pipeline off-take at the Goulburn River will be specifically designed to minimise the environmental impact during its construction and operation.
Operating rules will be developed by the Victorian Government and managed by Goulburn-Murray Water. Water will only be extracted during the irrigation season, and the volume of water extracted each day will be only a small proportion of the total river flow.
Removing trees and other flora when the pipe is being laid
Further environmental studies will identify the best route to avoid or minimise vegetation clearance or ways to offset unavoidable clearance. Under both State and Federal legislation, the Sugarloaf Pipeline project needs to demonstrate that there will not be unacceptable impacts on rare or endangered species.
Potential impacts and management (summary table)
Greenhouse gas emissions from the energy required to pump the water through the pipe
The project will contribute to Melbourne Water's commitment to achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions and 100 percent use or export of renewable energy compared with our total energy use, both by 2018.
Melbourne's share of the water savings will be stored in Lake Eildon. Lake Eildon will not have any less water in it as a result of the Food Bowl Modernisation Project.
Recreational and tourism activities, such as boating and fishing on and around Lake Eildon, will not be impacted by this project.
Also see:
- Project Impact Assessment Report released and available online.
- FAQs - Planning and approvals (EES Referral) (PDF, 81kb)
- Executive Summary - Sugarloaf Preliminary Project Impact Assessment (PDF, 58kb)
Contact us
For more information about the Sugarloaf Pipeline Project:
Call toll free - 1800 453 753 or contact us online.
For more information about the Food Bowl Modernisation Project:
Contact the Department of Sustainability and Environment Call Centre -136 186
For more information on The Next Stage of the Government's Water Plan:
Visit Our Water, Our Future
View the 12 month progress report