ENVIRONMENTAL flows down three connected waterways over the next few weeks will have fish on the move and provide perfect conditions for them to feed and access new habitat.
Water will flow down the Loddon River from Laanecoorie Reservoir to the Little Murray River near Benjeroop – about 370km – and meet up with water for the environment flowing down Pyramid Creek at Kerang.
A third flow will see water travel down the Loddon and be diverted to Serpentine Creek.
North Central Catchment Management Authority environmental water project officer Max Smiles-Schmidt said the flows were targeted at fish health but would also improve the health of the waterways.
“The flows will scour any accumulated sediment from pools and provide food for water bugs by washing the biofilms, or the slime, off the logs in the river” he said.
“The flows will wet up the banks, which will help with vegetation growth, and will help to wash away organic matter that may cause water quality issues as the weather heats up.
“For the fish, these flows are vital. The water will trigger the migration of native fish such as Murray cod and golden perch across all the three waterways.
“Monitoring has shown us that almost three-times as many fish move up the Loddon when flows such as these are on.
“That movement allows for a greater diversity of fish and healthier populations. It will also make for great fishing.”
But fish won’t be the only species enjoying the flows.
“We have really important populations of rakalis (water rats) and platypuses in the Loddon River and in Serpentine Creek,” Mr Smiles-Schmidt said.
“Water for environment at the right time of the year encourages female platypuses in the Loddon to select nesting burrows higher up the bank, which will reduce the risk of larger flows later in the year flooding their burrows and killing their puggles.”
The flows are authorised by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder in line with its Seasonal Watering Plan 2023-24.
The plan is available for download from vewh.vic.gov.au, with regular watering updates posted on the North Central CMA website nccma.vic.gov.au
