Groundwater Management Basins (GMB)

This layer provides boundaries for the management of groundwater in Victoria and is a product of the NWC funded Secure Allocations, Future Entitlement (SAFE) Project. The Groundwater Management Basins (GMB) layer has been derived from the Groundwater Catchments (GCs). Both the GMBs and GCs have been developed to provide complete coverage of Victoria while considering the following:

(1) Reflect aquifer systems and groundwater movement; and,

(2) Align with physical (i.e. surface water) and administrative boundaries where appropriate.

The GCs are aligned with the GMBs. Boundaries that related directly or in-directly to the physical characteristics of groundwater resources included groundwater flow divides, surface water flow divides, topographic divides, and geological structural features that influence aquifer extent and groundwater flow direction.

There are five Groundwater Management Basins (GMBs) in Victoria. Each basin encompasses a number of Groundwater Catchments (GCs):

(1) Goulburn Murray Basin: includes the Loddon, Campaspe, Goulburn-Broken, Ovens and Upper Murray Groundwater Catchments;

(2) Wimmera-Mallee Basin: includes the Wimmera-Mallee, West Wimmera and Avoca Groundwater Catchments;

(3) Otway-Torquay Basin: includes the Glenelg, Portland and Hopkins-Corangamite and Otway Torquay Groundwater Catchments;

(4) For ease of reporting: Port Phillip, Westernport and Tarwin Basins are grouped into Central Basin. Central Basin includes: West Port Phillip Bay, East Port Phillip Bay, Westernport and Tarwin Groundwater Catchments;

(5) Gippsland Basin: includes East Gippsland, Central Gippsland and Seaspray Groundwater Catchments.