Edition 3, February/March 2012 Welcome to Edition 3 of the Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) Watering Update. This edition includes an update of environmental watering actions that happened across the state in February and March 2012. It also includes information on two seasonal watering plan variations and an introduction of the VEWH’s newest staff member. The VEWH is an independent statutory body responsible for holding and managing environmental water entitlements in Victoria. The VEWH works with waterway managers (catchment management authorities and Melbourne Water), the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, storage operators, Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and Environment to deliver environmental water.
Water Dragon, Yarra River Source - Adam Miller, VEWH
This update reports on the systems where the VEWH has Water Holdings and there are current environmental watering events occurring. A full list of VEWH Holdings is available in the Seasonal Watering Plan 2011-12 and at www.vewh.vic.gov.au. If you have any suggestions or feedback, or wish to subscribe to this update, please email adam.miller@vewh.vic.gov.au. Header image - Pobblebonk (Banjo) Frog. Source - Keith Ward.
Watering recap Southern Victoria
Yarra system Where - Release from Upper Yarra, O’Shannassy and Maroondah reservoirs into the Yarra River. When - Early February for two days at each site. What/how much - Targeted a summer fresh of 350 ML a day at Millgrove and 750 ML a day at Warrandyte. Why - To improve access between pools for fish species including Australian grayling and Macquarie Perch, flush fine sediment and organic material from the river bed, maintain habitat for bugs and fish life and ensure native vriparian vegetation received adequate water during the summer months. Who - Melbourne Water.
Moorabool system Where - Release from Lal Lal Reservoir into the Moorabool River. When - Began late February for 10 days. What/how much - The second summer fresh targeting flows of 31 ML a day at Morrisons, delivered on top of Barwon Water consumptive water releases. Why - Improve in-stream habitat, enhance fish movement and flush the system of organic matter and sediment that has built up in habitat pools. Who - Corangamite CMA, Barwon Water.
Moorabool River Source - Corangamite CMA
What is riparian vegetation? Riparian vegetation is located in the area of land that adjoins, regularly influences or is influenced by a river (the riparian zone). Healthy, intact and native riparian vegetation is very important to the health of a waterway because it provides: •
organic matter to a river, which is a major food source for fish and other species that live in a river
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a supply of woody debris that forms important habitat areas for fish and other species that live in a river
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a source of shade that influences water temperature
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assistance in bank stabilisation, reducing erosion
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a buffer between the catchment and the river so it can filter nutrients and sediment
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a wildlife corridor to link habitats, especially in cleared catchments.
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Western Victoria
Wimmera system Where Wimmera River - Release from Lake Lonsdale via Mt William Creek and Taylors Lake into the Wimmera River. MacKenzie River - Release from Lake Wartook into the MacKenzie River. When Wimmera and MacKenzie Rivers - Releases began for both rivers in December 2011. Releases temporarily ceased in the Wimmera River in mid-December due to flow targets being met naturally from high unregulated flows. Following the decrease of these flows, a cease to flow was provided in the system. Releases then recommenced at the beginning of February 2012. What/how much Wimmera River - Targeting summer baseflows of 5 ML a day at Lochiel. MacKenzie River - Targeting summer baseflows of 2 ML a day at Distribution Heads.
Why Wimmera River - Maintain water quality and habitat for fish including the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act-listed freshwater catfish. MacKenzie River - Maintain permanent pool habitat for fish. Who - Wimmera CMA, Grampians-Wimmera-Mallee Water.
Glenelg system Where - Release from Rocklands Reservoir into the Glenelg River. When Summer baseflows - Began mid-December 2011 and will continue through to May 2012. Summer fresh - Began mid-March for six days. What/how much Summer baseflows - Targeting 16 ML a day at Dergholm. Summer fresh - Targeting 65 ML a day at Harrow. Why Summer baseflows - Maintain permanent pool habitat for fish. Summer fresh - Improve water quality for fish. Who – Glenelg Hopkins CMA, Grampians-Wimmera-Mallee Water.
Northern Victoria
Frazer Swamp on the Glenelg River Source - GHCMA
Goulburn system Where - Release from Goulburn Weir into the Goulburn River. When - Began late December 2011 and will continue through to May 2012. What/how much - Targeting summer baseflows of 940 ML a day at McCoys Bridge. Consumptive water en route combined with Goulburn-Murray Water pre-releases have largely met target flows since early January 2012. Releases of Commonwealth environmental water recommenced briefly in late February. Environmental flows were stopped in the days leading up to the recent flooding. As at 31 March, environmental flows were yet to be reinstated. Why - Maintain aquatic vegetation, pool habitat, low flow and slackwater zones to provide habitat and connectivity for macroinvertebrates (bugs) and native fish. Who - Goulburn Broken CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water, Goulburn-Murray Water.
Broken system (lower Broken Creek) Where - Releases from the Murray and Goulburn systems into Broken Creek. When - Began late December 2011 and will continue through to May 2012. What/how much - Targeting summer flows of 250 ML a day at Rices Weir. Consumptive water en route combined with releases of Commonwealth environmental water met target flows until late February. Environmental flows were stopped in the days leading up to the recent flooding. As at 31 March, environmental flows were yet to be reinstated. Why - Provide habitat and connectivity for native fish. Who - Goulburn Broken CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water, GoulburnMurray Water.
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Broken Creek Source - GBCMA
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Campaspe system Where - Release from the Campaspe Siphon into the Campaspe River. When - December 2011 through to May 2012. What/how much - Targeting summer freshes of 100 ML per day for six days at the Campaspe Siphon. Consumptive water en route was used to deliver a summer fresh to the Campaspe in mid-February. Environmental water was used to account for any losses associated with the delivery. This was the first in a series of three intended summer freshes. Why - Maintain aquatic and riparian vegetation, water quality, and provide connectivity for native fish. Who - North Central CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water, Goulburn-Murray Water.
Northern wetlands and floodplains
Where – Lake Carpul, via Lake Powell. When - Mid-December 2011 continuing into winter 2012. What/how much - Pumping of 2,500 ML into Lake Carpul. Why - Provide ecological benefits including: • improving the condition of the long-term water-stressed black box community • facilitating the establishment of aquatic lake bed and fringing understorey vegetation • providing habitat, food sources and breeding resources for many wetland dependent species • renewing the seed bank. Who – Mallee CMA, Lower Murray Water.
Where – Barmah-Millewa Forest, downstream of Yarrawonga. When – Releases occurred throughout December 2011 and continued into mid-February. What/how much - Low level watering of floodplain to maintain low level watering in Millewa Forrest. Why – To provide shallow flooding of waterbird sites, ensure successful fledging of birds, before drying the forest to benefit the native vegetation. Releases are now complete. Who – Goulburn Broken CMA, New South Wales Government, MurrayDarling Basin Authority on behalf of the Living Murray program, MurrayDarling Basin Authority River Operations, Goulburn-Murray Water.
Young white ibis creche, Barmah-Millewa Forest Source - Keith Ward, GBCMA
Where – Lake Wallawalla in Lindsay Island. When - Began early February and will continue into autumn 2012. What/how much – Pumping of 5,000 ML. Why – This will assist in the continued recovery of river red gum and black box health in the wetland, increasing the available habitat for wetlanddependant plants and animals. Who – Mallee CMA, Lower Murray Water.
Lake Wallawalla Source - Malle CMA
What is a cease to flow event? A cease to flow event is a period of no discernible flow, and is a natural characteristic in some Victorian rivers. The Wimmera, Moorabool and Werribee rivers have cease to flow events listed as priority watering actions in the VEWH Seasonal Watering Plan 2011-12. Depending on the system needs, these events can last anywhere between five to thirty days. Benefits of a cease to flow include:
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Habitat protection and diversity - a cease to flow assists in maintaining the density of native aquatic plant species and reducing the extent of invasive plant species on the stream bed. This protects habitat for many aquatic species including platypus, fish and macroinvertebrates (bugs).
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Reducing numbers of exotic pest species, such as European carp.
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Where - Gunbower Creek and Gunbower Forest. When Gunbower Creek - Releases into Gunbower Creek began in mid-November 2011 and will continue until 30 July 2012, using consumptive water en route with environmental water used to cover additional losses. Gunbower Forest - Releases began in late December 2011 and continued to mid-February 2012. What/how much Gunbower Creek - Provision of baseflows and a series of freshes. Up to 7,000 ML of Living Murray water and 15,000 ML of unregulated VEWH entitlement has been made available to account for losses associated with the delivery of consumptive water through the creek. Gunbower Forest - 1,000 ML to maintain the flood extent in the Little Gunbower wetland complex.
Great egret Source - NCCMA
Why Gunbower Creek - Build resilience and enhance native fish populations in Gunbower Creek. The watering will also have benefits for fringing vegetation. Gunbower Forest - To ensure an established colony of waterbirds had the opportunity to successfully complete their breeding cycle, especially the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act-listed great egret. Who - North Central CMA, Murray-Darling Basin Authority on behalf of the Living Murray program, Goulburn-Murray Water.
Where - Round Lake. When - Deliveries will continue intermittently until June 2012. What/how much - Targeted 108 ML over 12 days beginning in mid February, as part of the delivery of a total of 600 ML. Why - Maintain water quality for the Murray hardyhead. Who - North Central CMA, Goulburn-Murray Water.
Round Lake Source - NCCMA
VEWH news Seasonal Watering Plan variations - Wimmera and Barwon systems Two variations have been made to the VEWH Seasonal Watering Plan – one for the Wimmera system and one for the Barwon system. The Wimmera variation has been made to correct autumn flow components in the Wimmera system section of the plan. The Barwon system variation has been made to include the
2011-12 priority watering actions for the system which were not available at the time the plan was originally prepared. It has been approved by the VEWH based on a proposal from the Corangamite CMA. Details of both variations can be found on the VEWH website at www.vewh.vic.gov.au.
New VEWH staff member The VEWH is pleased to welcome Bridie Velik-Lord to the team. Bridie joined the team on 28 February 2012 and has a number of key areas to focus on. “My main focuses at this stage will be on bulk entitlement / environmental entitlement management, working with DSE on projects such as environmental water management plans and monitoring associated with environmental water management,” Bridie said. “I’ll also be assisting with the seasonal watering proposal/ planning process and other activities undertaken by VEWH.” Bridie joins the VEWH from North Central CMA, where she recently worked on broader environmental water management within regulated wetland systems in the region. “This included the operational management of environmental water, as well as planning through the development of
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environmental water management plans for a number of wetlands sites.” “Before this I worked on river health projects in the upper catchments and the Loddon River - working on projects undertaking fencing, revegetation, invasive plant management.” “I then moved across to environmental water management in early 2009 where I took over the management of the Loddon River Environmental Bulk Entitlement and environmental watering of wetlands around Kerang,” she said The VEWH commissioners and staff welcome Bridie to the team. Bridie can be contacted on: E bridie.velik-lord@vewh.vic.gov.au
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