Melbourne Water releases updated flood mapping for Yarra
Melbourne Water has released flood mapping for the City of Yarra as part of a project that extends across broader Melbourne.
Melbourne Water reviews flood models every five years and updates them every 10 years. Major flood or significant changes in the catchment will also trigger a review of their flood models.
The maps are regularly updated to reflect increasingly more intense and extreme rainfall events, and severe storms have the potential to result in increased and more frequent flood risk across Melbourne. As our cities become more densely developed, rainwater also flows faster off hard surfaces like concrete, instead of filtering into soils. This can increase flooding along waterways and low-lying land.
The maps show areas predicted to flood, now and in the future, and assist with planning for a changing urban landscape and weather.
What are flood maps?
Flood maps provide information that helps the Victorian Government, councils, emergency services and communities to:
- prepare for floods and minimise their impacts
- ensure new housing is built to withstand floods, and away from high-risk locations, and
- prioritise upgrades to flood infrastructure in high-risk areas.
Flood maps don’t create flood risk – they help better understand the risk that Melbourne faces.
How do I get more information?
Melbourne Water’s flood mapping for the City of Yarra is part of the Greater Melbourne Flood Information Program, incorporating 12 Local Government Areas.
For further information, please contact Melbourne Water.
Melbourne Water will be hosting a webinar and in-person sessions for the community to go along and ask any questions about the maps.
Thursday 16 October 2025, 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Flood mapping webinar – Darebin & Yarra (further information available closer to the date)
Monday 20 October 2025, 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Yarra flood mapping information session #1
Bagung Malgali Community Room, Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library, 182-186 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North
Sunday 9 November 2025, 10:00am to 12:30pm
Yarra flood mapping information session #2
Jack Dyer Community Room, Corner Gleadell & Highett Streets, Richmond
Keeping our drains clear: How is Yarra contributing to flood prevention
Council is investing $4.26 million in 2025/26 to maintain Yarra’s drainage network to ensure the proper functioning of our stormwater assets. This will help to protect properties and to help reduce the risk of localised flooding.
As part of our programmed drainage maintenance schedule, contractors are cleaning pits and pipes across the municipality every day to keep water flowing freely, particularly ahead of storm season.
Our program includes:
- Maintaining 11,600 stormwater pits across Yarra on a rolling schedule.
- Clearing debris, weeds, and tree roots that can cause blockages.
- Removing silt and rubbish from pits and pipes to improve water flow.
- Inspecting and cleaning around 80 hotspot locations more frequently, particularly before and after major storms.
- Supporting long-term drainage renewal works where issues are identified.
- Using robotic cutting equipment to remove tree roots that invade and block drainage pipes.
Why this work matters
Regular drain cleaning helps the stormwater network perform during medium to heavy rainfall events, lowering the chance of flooding in our streets and around homes. It also helps identify hidden issues like the intrusion of tree roots or structural damage, which are then scheduled for renewal works.
Our commitment
By investing in proactive drainage maintenance, Council is helping protect our community and reduce flood risks, ensuring our drainage network performs during heavy rains and to ensure the network continues to do its job into the future.