Edition 1, September/October/November 2011

Welcome to the first edition of the Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) Watering Update. This update gives you an overview of the environmental watering actions happening across the state, as well as developments in the VEWH office and other news about environmental watering.

If you have any suggestions or feedback about this update, please send them to adam.miller@vewh.vic.gov.au.

The Victorian Environmental Water HolderThe Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) is an independent statutory body responsible for holding and managing environmental water entitlements in Victoria. Environmental watering occurs through the collaboration of a range of agencies and individuals to ensure it is coordinated and effective, bringing about the best outcome for Victorian waterways.

The VEWH works with the following partners to deliver environmental water:

• Waterway managers (catchment management authorities (CMAs) and Melbourne Water)

• Murray-Darling Basin Authority

• Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder

• Storage operators

• Parks Victoria

• Department of Sustainability and Environment.

The VEWH works together with CMAs and storage operators to monitor releases and to actively reduce or stop environmental flows where there is a risk of flooding private land.

First environmental release for the YarraThe Yarra received the first flows of its reinstated environmental water entitlement in September.

The 783 megalitres (ML) from the Upper Yarra Reservoir marked the first time the Yarra received managed flows above minimum flow since the entitlement was reinstated in October 2010.

Fresh event in the Campaspe The Campaspe received a winter fresh of 1,500 ML a day for four days in late October. This release provided benefits including stimulating fish movement, mixing water within the river and inundating snag habitat.

It also contributed to additional benefit downstream to the Lower Lakes in South Australia. This water complements the delivery of Commonwealth environmental water which continues to be delivered as baseflows over the winter/spring period.

Environmental flow in the Loddon RiverThis spring fresh will provide a pulse of water similar to a natural flow that would result from spring rain events. The main purpose of the flow is to trigger fish movement and flush organic material. The release will encourage fish to move through the Kerang Weir fishway and provide an opportunity for the North Central CMA to tag fish as they pass through to gain greater understanding of native fish movement.

Introduction

Highlights

Looking ahead

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783 ML released from the Upper Yarra Reservoir Winter fresh of 1,500 ML a day in the Campaspe River

Snowy system1 Where – Released from Jindabyne Dam into the Snowy River.

When – October 2011. Increased flows began on Wednesday 5 October, significantly increasing to Monday 10 October as peak releases of up to 12,000 ML a day were delivered to the river over three days. The flushing flow event took place over 19 days, with regulated flows recommencing on 24 October 2011.

What/how much – 84,000 ML.

Why – Designed to replicate the natural spring snow melt, gouge out a new and deeper water course and flush accumulated silt and organic material down stream.

Who – New South Wales (NSW) Government.

Thomson system Where – Released from the Thomson Dam into the Thomson River.

When – Began in early October 2011 and finished at the end of November.

What/how much – Regulated environmental releases began in the Thomson River, providing winter baseflows of 230 ML a day to the system.

Why – Support Australian Grayling migration.

Who – West Gippsland CMA.

Yarra systemWhere – Released from the Upper Yarra Reservoir into the first reach of the Yarra River, directly downstream of the Upper Yarra Reservoir.

When – Mid September 2011.

What/how much – Winter fresh event, targeting flows of 200 ML a day, for three days.

Why – Shift organic matter and unconsolidated sediments, improving habitat and channel condition in the reach.

Who – Melbourne Water.

Wimmera systemWhere Wimmera River – Released from Lake Lonsdale into the Wimmera River via Mt William Creek. MacKenzie River – Released from Lake Wartook into the Mackenzie River.

When Wimmera and MacKenzie Rivers – Continued from 2010-11 watering year, finishing at the end of November. Summer base flows will begin for both rivers in December.

What/how much Wimmera River – Environmental water was released from Lake Lonsdale to the Wimmera River via Mt William Creek to achieve winter/spring baseflow target of 37 ML a day at Lochiel. MacKenzie River – Environmental water was released to the mid-lower MacKenzie River to achieve the winter/spring minimum flow target of 37 ML a day.

WhyWimmera River – Provide baseflows to maintain water quality and habitat for fish including the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act-listed freshwater catfish.

MacKenzie River – Provide connectivity for fish dispersal and benefits to in-stream vegetation. These flows also contribute to the objectives in the Wimmera River.

Who – Wimmera CMA.

Watering recap Southern Victoria

Western Victoria

1 The VEWH holds water entitlements in trust for the Snowy program and manages the administrative requirements of these entitlements to ensure Victoria meets its commitments to provide water to the Snowy River. Decisions about the preferred environmental water releases for the Snowy are made by the New South Wales Ministerial Corporation, on recommendation of the Snowy Scientific Committee. The VEWH does not have a direct role in planning for or delivering this water.

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84,000 ML release from Jindabyne Dam into the Snowy River

Thomson River

Goulburn system Where – Released from Goulburn Weir into the Goulburn River.

When – Began late October 2011, continuing throughout November and December.

What/how much – October – High winter/spring baseflows, targeting 830 ML a day at Murchison.

November – Spring fresh targeting 5,600 ML a day at Murchison.

December – A second spring fresh targeting 4,700 ML a day at Murchison.

The total release volume is anticipated to be 130,000 ML.

Why – The flow release pattern is aimed at triggering the spawning of the Golden Perch to continue

rebuilding the population after last year’s spawning, which occurred for the first time in eight years. It will also improve in-stream vegetation and provide macroinvertebrate (bug) habitat. The release will also provide benefits downstream to the Lower Lakes in South Australia.

Who – Goulburn Broken CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, Murray-Darling Basin Authority on behalf of the Living Murray program.

Campaspe system Where – Released from Lake Eppalock into the Campaspe River, with benefits downstream to the Lower Lakes in South Australia.

WhenCommonwealth Environmental Water Holder – Releases began in early June 2011 and still continue.

The Living Murray - Living Murray entitlement released in late October 2011.

What/how much Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder – Targeting flows of 200 ML a day at Rochester. Due to high rainfall and consequent pre-releases and spills from Lake Eppalock, this target was met naturally for some time, allowing environmental water to be reserved for use as natural flows subsided.

The Living Murray – Winter high flow of 1,500 ML a day for four days.

WhyCommonwealth Environmental Water Holder – Provide habitat, connectivity and maintenance of water quality for native fish and macroinvertebrates.

The Living Murray – Build on Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder flows and provide further benefits by stimulating fish movement, mixing water within the river and inundating snag habitat. It will also provide additional benefit downstream to the Lower Lakes in South Australia.

Who – North Central CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, Murray-Darling Basin Authority on behalf of the Living Murray program.

Loddon systemWhere – Released from Loddon Weir into the Loddon River.

When – Began in early June 2011 and continued until late October.

What/how much – Targeted flows of 100 ML a day downstream of Loddon Weir.

Why – Maintain habitat and connectivity for macroinvertebrates and native fish (including river blackfish), maintaining water quality, supporting aquatic vegetation growth, and preventing encroachment of terrestrial vegetation.

Who – North Central CMA, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.

Northern Victoria

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The Goulburn River will continue to receive flows totalling 130,000 ML until December.

Winter high flow at Campaspe Weir in November

Commissioners and staff from the VEWH have been busy visiting each waterway manager region across the state during spring and summer. The tours have given the VEWH a great opportunity to meet regional staff and gain a greater understanding of local priorities and the unique complexities of each system.Seeing the waterways from the local perspective reinforces how important

environmental watering is to maintain our valuable natural ecosystems.To date, the VEWH has visited Goulburn Broken CMA, Glenelg Hopkins CMA, East and West Gippsland CMAs, Mallee CMA, Melbourne Water, North Central CMA and Wimmera CMA. The VEWH will be visiting Corangamite CMA in December this year, rounding out the regional tours.

VEWH regional tours

West Gippsland CMA tour

Melbourne Water tour

Murray system Where – Mallee catchment area.

What/how much

1,782 ML to Lake Powell and 2,000 ML to Heywoods Lake - Provide ecological benefits including inundating the long-term water stressed river red gum and black box communities, contributing to an improvement in stand condition. The watering will facilitate establishment of aquatic lake bed and fringing understorey vegetation, providing habitat, food sources and breeding resources for many water dependent species, and also renew the seed bank. Delivery to Lake Powell is now complete.

150 ML to Sandilong Creek - Aims to restore ecological processes by flooding nearby understorey to promote growth and recruitment of woody floodplain vegetation, such as black box and river red gum. Fish and macroinvertebrates will benefit from these processes making use of the additional aquatic habitat.

1,000 ML to Cardross Lake - Maintain water quality and habitat for the Murray hardyhead which are listed as threatened under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, and vulnerable under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999.

Who – Mallee CMA.

Where – Round Lake.

What/how much – Delivery of 600 ML of water is continuing.

Why – Maintain water quality for the Murray hardyhead.

Who – North Central CMA.

Where – Barmah-Millewa Forest

When – Releases downstream of Yarrawonga occurred throughout October 2011. This water level is planned to be sustained until January, prior to a summer/autumn drying of the floodplain.

What/how much –

• Supplement system flows to maintain water levels in Barmah-Millewa Forest at 11-12,000 ML a day. In addition, a fresh event of 15,000 ML a day was provided in late November.

• Water has been sourced from: • Victorian and NSW Barmah-Millewa Environmental Water Allocation• The Living Murray program• Victorian and NSW allocations.

Why – The flows maintained shallow flooding of colonial waterbird sites and wetland vegetation. The late November fresh provided triggers for native fish spawning while sustaining the levels until mid December will maintain bird breeding. Water will be required through to the end of January to ensure successful fledging of these birds, before drying the forest to benefit the native vegetation.

Who – NSW Government, Goulburn Broken CMA, Murray-Darling Basin Authority on behalf of the Living Murray program.

Where – Murray system.

When – Late October 2011.

What/how much – 32,300 ML of the Living Murray unregulated entitlement.

Why – Meet needs in the Lower Lakes in South Australia.

Who – Murray-Darling Basin Authority on behalf of the Living Murray program.

Note - This update reports on the systems where the VEWH has Water Holdings and have current environmental watering events occurring. A full list of VEWH Holdings is available in the Seasonal Watering Plan and at www.vewh.vic.gov.au.

Northern wetlands and floodplains

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Round Lake

The VEWH met with Environmental Water Reserve Officers from across the state in December to discuss the proposed guidelines for the 2012-13 Seasonal Watering Proposals.

The feedback gathered from this session will be used to inform the development of next year’s guidelines for Seasonal Watering Proposals.

The Seasonal Watering Proposals developed by CMAs and Melbourne Water form the basis of the VEWH Seasonal Watering Plan, which outlines the full scope of environmental watering actions that may be required throughout the year.

Seasonal Watering Proposal workshop

River Murray at Barmah township