www.vewh.vic.gov.au Page 1 of 4 Southern Victoria Thomson system Where Thomson Reservoir release into Thomson River When Autumn baseflows from April to June; two autumn freshes during April and May What/how much Autumn baseflows targeted 230 ML/day; autumn freshes 800 ML/day for four days each, both at Coopers Creek gauging station Why Australian grayling spawning, habitat for aquatic fauna, facilitate fish movement and native fish migration Who West Gippsland CMA, Melbourne Water Macalister system Where Lake Glenmaggie release to Macalister River When Autumn/winter baseflows from April to August; two autumn freshes during April and May What/how much Autumn/winter baseflows targeted 140 ML/day at Maffra Weir; autumn freshes targeted 350 ML/day for seven days each at Maffra Weir Why Australian grayling spawning, habitat for aquatic fauna, facilitate fish movement and native fish migration Who West Gippsland CMA, Southern Rural Water Yarra system Where Maroondah and Upper Yarra reservoirs releases into Yarra River When Summer/autumn fresh in early May and autumn high flow in late May 2013 What/how much Summer/autumn fresh: targeted flows of between 200 ML/day and 750 ML/day for two to three days Autumn high flow: targeted high flows of between 560 ML/day and 1,500 ML/day for seven days Why Summer/autumn fresh: improve water quality, increase the availability of habitat for fish and macroinvertebrate communities between Upper Yarra Reservoir and Dights Falls Autumn high flow: assist Australian grayling spawning Who - Melbourne Water Tarago system Where Tarago Reservoir release into Tarago River When Began and ended late May 2013 What/how much Targeted autumn high flow of 200 ML/day for one day Why Assist Australian grayling spawning Who Melbourne Water Edition 10: April - June 2013 watering actions Victorian Environmental Water Holder Welcome to the latest edition of the Victorian Environmental Water Holder’s (VEWH) Watering Update. This edition includes an update of environmental watering actions that happened across Victoria in April, May and June 2013. 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 Office, storage managers and land managers to deliver environmental water. A full list of VEWH Water Holdings is available in the Seasonal Watering Plan 2013-14 and at www.vewh.vic.gov.au. If you have any suggestions or feedback, or wish to subscribe to this update, please email [email protected]. In office news, two environmental water coordinators have been added to the VEWH team. Caitlin Davis will be starting with us in July, and Courtney Johnson will be on board in August. We look forward to working with them! Image credit: Little Egret at Gunbower by North Central CMA Watering recap Macalister River Source - West Gippsland CMA
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Southern Victoria
Thomson system
Where Thomson Reservoir release into Thomson River
When Autumn baseflows from April to June; two autumn freshes during April and May
What/how much Autumn baseflows targeted 230 ML/day; autumn freshes 800 ML/day for four days each, both at Coopers Creek gauging station
Why Australian grayling spawning, habitat for aquatic fauna, facilitate fish movement and native fish migration
Who West Gippsland CMA, Melbourne Water
Macalister systemWhere Lake Glenmaggie release to Macalister River
When Autumn/winter baseflows from April to August; two autumn freshes during April and May
What/how much Autumn/winter baseflows targeted 140 ML/day at Maffra Weir; autumn freshes targeted 350 ML/day for seven days each at Maffra Weir
Why Australian grayling spawning, habitat for aquatic fauna, facilitate fish movement and native fish migration
Who West Gippsland CMA, Southern Rural Water
Yarra systemWhere Maroondah and Upper Yarra reservoirs releases into Yarra River
When Summer/autumn fresh in early May and autumn high flow in late May 2013
What/how much Summer/autumn fresh: targeted flows of between 200 ML/day and 750 ML/day for two to three days
Autumn high flow: targeted high flows of between 560 ML/day and 1,500 ML/day for seven days
Why Summer/autumn fresh: improve water quality, increase the availability of habitat for fish and macroinvertebrate communities between Upper Yarra Reservoir and Dights Falls
Autumn high flow: assist Australian grayling spawning
Who - Melbourne Water
Tarago systemWhere Tarago Reservoir release into Tarago River
When Began and ended late May 2013
What/how much Targeted autumn high flow of 200 ML/day for one day
Why Assist Australian grayling spawning
Who Melbourne Water
Edition 10: April - June 2013 watering actions
Victorian Environmental Water Holder
Welcome to the latest edition of the Victorian Environmental Water Holder’s (VEWH) Watering Update. This edition includes an update of environmental watering actions that happened across Victoria in April, May and June 2013.
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 Office, storage managers and land managers to deliver environmental water.
A full list of VEWH Water Holdings is available in the Seasonal Watering Plan 2013-14 and at www.vewh.vic.gov.au.
If you have any suggestions or feedback, or wish to subscribe to this update, please email [email protected].
In office news, two environmental water coordinators have been added to the VEWH team. Caitlin Davis will be starting with us in July, and Courtney Johnson will be on board in August. We look forward to working with them!
Image credit: Little Egret at Gunbower by North Central CMA
Watering recap
Macalister RiverSource - West Gippsland CMA
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Werribee systemWhere Melton Reservoir release into Werribee River estuary
When Began mid-April 2013
What/how much Targeted high flow fresh of 100 ML/day for one day
Why Allow fish migration between freshwater reaches and estuary, improve lower reaches water quality, and inundate salt marsh vegetation communities
Who Melbourne Water, Southern Rural Water
Moorabool systemWhere Release from Lal Lal Reservoir into the Moorabool River
When: Summer low flows began in late March and continued to May 2013
What/how much Summer low flows targeted an average flow of 20 ML/day when combined with natural flows
Why To maintain water quality for water-dependent animal species including river blackfish
Who
Corangamite CMA, Barwon Water
Glenelg systemWhere Release from Rocklands Reservoir into the Glenelg River
When Summer/autumn baseflows: began in December 2012 and will continue until June 2013
Summer/autumn fresh: began in late April 2013
What/how much Summer/autumn baseflows: targeted 16 ML/day at Dergholm
Summer/autumn fresh: targeted 65 ML/day for six days at Harrow
Why Improve water quality and maintain habitat for fish and other aquatic species.
Who Glenelg Hopkins CMA, Grampians-Wimmera-Mallee Water
Wimmera systemWhere Wimmera River - Release from Taylors Lake and Lake Lonsdale into the Wimmera River
MacKenzie River - Release from Lake Wartook into the MacKenzie River
When Summer/autumn baseflows from December 2012 to June 2013; freshes were delivered intermittently throughout this period
What/how much Wimmera River: Summer/autumn baseflows targeted 5 ML/day at Lochiel, summer fresh delivered in early May targeted flows of 20 ML/day for seven days
Winter/spring baseflows - targeted 37 ML/day at Lochiel
MacKenzie River: Summer/autumn baseflows targeted 2 ML/day at Dad and Dave Regulator Winter/spring baseflows targeted 37 ML/day at Distribution Heads
Why Wimmera River: To maintain water quality and habitat for fish including the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act-listed freshwater catfish
MacKenzie River: To maintain water quality and vegetation communities as well as connectivity and habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates
Who Wimmera CMA, Grampians-Wimmera-Mallee Water
Wimmera-Mallee wetlandsWhere Sawpit Swamp
When Water was released into each wetland for varying timeframes during April and May 2013
What/how much Sawpit Swamp: 20 ML
Why To inundate wetland vegetation to improve the condition of the wetlands; provide aquatic habitat for water-dependent species; and provide watering points for animals that live in the adjoining bushland
Who Mallee CMA, Wimmera CMA, Grampians-Wimmera-Mallee Water
Western Victoria
Thomson RiverSource - West Gippsland CMA
Glenelg RiverSource - Stephen Ryan
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Goulburn systemWhere Releases from Goulburn Weir into the Goulburn River
When Began in February and will continue into July 2013
What/how much Targeted variable baseflows of up to 1,000 ML per day at McCoys Bridge
Why Provide habitat and food resources for fish and macroinvertebrates
Who Goulburn Broken CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, Murray-Darling
Basin Authority, Goulburn-Murray Water
Broken CreekWhere Release from the Murray and Goulburn systems into Broken Creek
When Began September 2012 and continued until mid-May 2013
What/how much Targeted variable flow rates of up to 250 ML/day at Rices Weir
Why Increase habitat for fish during their migration and breeding season and minimise risks to fish from low dissolved oxygen levels
Who Goulburn Broken CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, Goulburn-Murray Water
Campaspe systemWhere Release from Lake Eppalock into the Campaspe River
When Summer/autumn low flows: Began in December 2012 and continued to May 2013
Summer/autumn freshes: One fresh during April
What/how much Summer/autumn low flows: Targeted 20 ML/day at the Campaspe Siphon
Summer/autumn freshes: Targeted 100 ML/day at the Campaspe Siphon
Winter/spring low flows: Targeted 100 ML/day downstream of Lake Eppalock
Why To maintain water quality, aquatic vegetation and habitat for macroinvertebrates and fish
Who North Central CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, Goulburn-Murray Water
Loddon systemWhere Release from Loddon Weir into the Loddon River
When Summer/autumn low flows: Began in December 2012 and continued to April 2013
Autumn/winter/spring low flows: Began in May and will continue to October
