WATER managers will target Serpentine Creek and Pyramid Creek and the Loddon River from the Loddon weir to the Kerang weir, with environmental water in coming weeks to try to mitigate blackwater and continue to boost fish numbers.
The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) said environmental water managers were concerned about toxic blackwater this summer and would do their best to mitigate it.
“During major floods, when very high levels of organic matter enter the river, oxygen can be consumed faster than it’s replenished, and oxygen can drop to dangerously low levels that are harmful to fish,” North Central CMA’s Rachel Murphy said.
“The big danger is in summer, so these flows down the Loddon in October will wash the leaf litter away while the weather is still relatively cool.
“That means there’ll be less leaf litter around if we get a series of big summer storms and floods, reducing the risk of a toxic blackwater event.
“If we had more natural floods, or more water in the rivers at the right time of year, this wouldn’t be such as big as a concern. But by regulating the rivers, and with climate change having an impact, this is one of the few options we have.”
The North Central CMA said the flows were part of its Native Fish Recovery Plan, which has as one of its goals a plan to create a world-class Murray cod fishery in the lower Loddon and Gunbower region.
“Murray cod and golden perch have thrived on the flows, and the Vulnerable Murray Darling rainbowfish are now turning up in big numbers across the lower Loddon for the first time,” the agency said.
