Campaspe gets a drink

“THESE FLOWS WILL PROVIDE THE RIGHT CONDITIONS TO TRIGGER SPAWNING AND ENCOURAGE THE FISH TO SWIM UPSTREAM TO FIND MATES.”

An environmental flow down the Campaspe River this month will provide a boost for native fish and plants and make up for some of the missed flows from the region’s wet winter.

More than 40,000 megalitres of water flowed down the Campaspe and Coliban rivers into the Lake Eppalock dam by early July.

But only 10 per cent — about 4000 Ml — flowed downstream into the lower Campaspe River.

“That’s what river regulation does,” North Central Catchment Management Authority’s Darren White said.

“While man-made storages are great for farms and towns, they can have a detrimental impact on the rivers below them, and the plants and animals that rely on those waterways to survive.

“That’s where we come in.”

The spring fresh was due to start on September 13 and will see about 8000 Ml flow over a week.

“These flows will help reduce blackwater risk by washing any leaf litter on the banks while the weather is cool,” Mr White said

“If this leaf litter is washed away in a summer storm or high summer irrigation flows, it can chew up all the oxygen in parts of the river and cause a toxic blackwater event.”

The flows will also be a big benefit to native fish such as Murray cod and silver and golden perch.

“These flows will provide the right conditions to trigger spawning and encourage the fish to swim upstream to find mates,” Mr White said.

“And they will also help the native plants these fish rely on.”

— DARREN WHITE