Sweetwater Fishing Forums
General Category => Weather and Water Updates => Topic started by: Editor on January 20, 2015, 08:42:57 PM
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Environmental water release - Tarago River System
Monday 19 January 2015 - Melbourne Water
(http://www.melbournewater.com.au/whatwedo/supply-water/PublishingImages/mw08617-tarago.jpg)
Otherwise known as a “summer fresh”, the release will improve habitat for aquatic life and will enhance the river’s health.
Why is this needed?
The recent warm weather has seen flows in the river drop, which means available habitat for aquatic species may have been reduced.
The release will cleanse the system by flushing sediment and organic material from the river bed. This will help maintain the habitat for bugs and fish life, and will ensure native vegetation along the bank receives enough water during the summer months.
A significant population of Australian grayling, a nationally listed threatened species, will also benefit from the extra flows increasing their habitat availability.
What does this involve?
Melbourne Water will release up to 500 million litres of water over a ten day period from Tarago Reservoir into the Tarago River system, to improve water flow along the river and into the lower Bunyip River.
During the release, river levels between the Tarago Reservoir and the estuary may be up to 30-40 cm higher, which is within the river’s usual level of variance.
Detailed planning and close monitoring of water levels will be undertaken during the entire release period.
Melbourne Water is working with the VEWH and other stakeholders to monitor the response of the river and aquatic life closely following the event to inform future releases. The release is in line with the VEWH’s Seasonal Watering Plan 2014-15.
More information
For further information on this project, please call Sarah Gaskill, Senior Environmental Water Planner, (03) 9679 7045.
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