Modelling the impacts of blue-green infrastructure on rainfall runoff: a case study of Eastern Victoria, Australia

In Australia, flood risk mitigation and response has followed an ad hoc development trajectory starting largely with structural measures such as levees and later non-structural approaches such as planning and regulation. These have proved largely ineffective in reducing the exposure of towns and rural populations to flood risk and damage over time. This paper explores the possible implementation of blue-green infrastructure (BGI) approaches as a new, alternative method to reduce flood volume and rainfall runoff in regional Australia. It outlines a case study example in rural Victoria that is subject to regular and damaging floods where the possible introduction of BGI has been modelled. Different types of BGI components - bio-retention cell, rain barrel, infiltration trench, and vegetative swale - were examined and the results indicate that developing BGI systems in a regional Australian context provide multi-functional and cost-effective solutions to flooding that will support adaptation to future climate changes.