An important long term hydrology research program initiated in the Otways in 1988 was subsequently abandoned due to timber industry pressure and a lack of funding.

• A hydrology study in the Otways, called the Silvicultural Systems Project (SSP), was initiated in 1988 to provide information on how best to manage the Otways water catchments
• The project aims included investigating reductions in stream flow yields which may result from timber production activities within water supply catchments
• About $500,000 was spent between 1988 and 1994 through the DNRE research budget. Concrete weirs were constructed to collect stream flow data, providing information which would only be useful after many years of monitoring
• The benefits to be gained from a hydrology study of the Otways water catchment area are immense. The results from the study were to be incorporated into the Otway Forest Management Plan (OFMP)
• In 1994 the State Government withdrew funding for SSP and DNRE halted research. Water Authorities such as Barwon Water declined to provide funding to continue research