Environmental Release past She Oaks October 2017
Footage of the recent environmental release.
It was taken downstream of She Oaks Weir along the westerly run above Sharpes Crossing.
There is some weed infestation along the Eastern bank which will need attention but it is still a very pretty part of the river. The flows were certainly driving some instream activity with a platypus sighting to finish the trip.
Parliamentary inquiry - environmental flows
In late June 2017 it was announced in a press release from the Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Development Committee of the Victorian Parliament that there was to be an inquiry held into “The management, governance and use of environmental water”.
The committee's terms of reference are;
That the Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Development Committee inquire into the Victorian Environmental Water Holder annual report 2015-16 and report, no later than June 2018, into the management, governance and use of environmental water in Victoria including, but not limited to —
the assessment of the role of environmental water management in preventing or causing ‘blackwater’ events;
how environmental water and environmental water managers interact with, and utilise, management tools such as carryover and whether the carryover of environmental water impacts on the availability of water for irrigators;
consideration of what barriers exist to the more efficient use of environmental water and how these may be addressed; and
assessment of fees and charges applied to environmental water and whether these differ from those imposed on other water users.
On the face of it this did seem innocuous enough even given the notion of environmental flows potentially causing 'blackwater' events.
A reading of Hansard has revealed that the impetus for the inquiry has come from a National Party member in the north of the state where there has historically been some questions raised over the use and extent of environmental flows. We have put together summary of the exchange in Hansard on the 10th of May 2017 which can be found here. It is long but worth the read.
As a group which fought hard for environmental flows the Moorabool River PALM members are very keen to ascertain if the small gains that were acheived for the most flow-stressed river in the State are at risk.
Update August 2017
PALM has made a submission to the inquiry which can be found at the following links;
Moorabool Eels
On the 29th of December 2016 a group of us met at a site on the Moorabool below Meredith to view the annual movement of hundreds of juvenile short finned eels up the river. These creatures, barely 20cm long, are finishing their several thousand kilometer journey from the Coral Sea. The peak of the migration occurs between Christmas and New year.
This beautiful section of the river with its deep pools, tumbling falls and high cliffs made for a perfect place from which to observe this remarkable event.
We were also keen to measure the depths at the site as the CCMA is currently undertaking a project identifying habitat pools and were interested in a comparison. With a rudimentary setup (boogie board, 2kg weight and 10mts of 10mm rope) we took over 20 soundings in each of the two pools. The depth in both was impressive with the lower pool measuring and astounding 8.85 meters. At this time we believe it is the deepest natural section of the river.
Our thanks go to Peter and his family for allowing us to visit this amazing section of the Moorabool River.
Page 2 of 2