SRW urged to increase monitoring on unlicensed dams

The Geelong Times has run a front page story on PALM's call for better monitoring of catchment dams within the Moorabool River Catchment.

The catchment has one of the highest ratio of total private dam capacity compared to inflows in Victoria. The volume is equal to that held by Barwon Water's West Barwon Dam in the Otways.

Private dam development is accelerating putting further strain on the State's most flow stressed river. Without better controls, monitoring and compliance the growth in such dams will further erode small gains in environmental flows that have been secured for the river.

PALM is currently finalising a study looking at the last decade of dam growth which it hopes will inform the following action within the latest Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy

Action 4-13: Review of water resource risks in small, dry, peri-urban catchments

Southern Rural Water will lead a project over two years to review resource risk and share evidence and reporting to build a shared understanding with communities on the risks, consequences and mitigation options we can use to address the increasing effects of small catchment dams. This project will focus on the upper Maribyrnong and upper Moorabool catchments (including tributaries) as identified hotspots, but recommendations from this review may be relevant to other catchments.

 

The online version of the article can be found here:

https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/geelongtimes/news/srw-urged-to-increase-monitoring-on-unlicensed-dams/

Planning Scheme changes to better protect the Moorabool River

PALM welcomes the recent annoucement from DELWP of planning scheme amendment VC 201 designed to give better protection to rivers like the Moorabool. How significant these changes will be remains to be seen but they should assist advocacy groups like PALM who have had to work hard to protect the river and its flood plains from developer excesses.

https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/waterways-planning/amendment-vc201

Amendment VC201

Stronger planning policies and landscape controls to protect the Rivers of the Barwon, Waterways of the West and rivers and creeks across Victoria

Waterways, lakes, wetlands and billabongs are vital features of Victoria’s diverse landscape. They sustain ecosystems and communities while providing the opportunity for us to connect with nature, relax and play. These environmental assets also have significant ecological, cultural, social and landscape significance.

Gazetted on 16 December 2022, Planning Scheme Amendment VC201 delivers stronger recognition and protection for our waterways, lakes, wetlands and billabongs. It aims to improve waterway health, amenity and access while acknowledging the important community and cultural values associated with waterways.

Amendment VC201 provides a substantial acknowledgement of Traditional Owner values and custodianship of waterways. It recognises the importance of protecting the living cultural values and heritage relating to waterway systems.

Now included in the Planning Scheme is the following:

12.03-1R
16/12/2022
VC201
Rivers of the Barwon
Objective
To maintain and enhance the natural landscape, biodiversity, cultural and social values, and the
Traditional Owner living cultural heritage values of the Rivers of the Barwon, comprising the
Barwon (Parwan), Leigh (Waywatcurtan), Moorabool (Mooroobull) and Yarrowee (Yarowee)
Rivers, their tributaries and wetlands.
Strategies
Protect places of living cultural heritage value to the region’s Traditional Owners including the
confluences of the Leigh, Barwon and Moorabool Rivers, Lal Lal Falls and the Lake Connewarre
Delta.
Protect and enhance the environmental qualities and landscape values of the headwaters of the
Barwon, Yarrowee and Moorabool Rivers and the tributaries of the Rivers of the Barwon.
Protect and enhance wetlands and significant waterbodies including Lake Gherang, Wurdiboluc
Reservoir, Lake Modewarre, Lake Thurrumbong, Lake Ayrey, West Barwon Dam, and Ramsar
Convention listed Lake Connewarre, Reedy Lake and Hospital Swamp from development that
threatens their ability to support terrestrial, aquatic and avian species.
Protect views of significant landscapes including gorges and waterfalls along the Moorabool River,
including the Lal Lal Falls, the steep escarpments and falls of the Barwon River, the open rural
scenery of the Leigh and Yarrowee Rivers and the expansive and open wetlands of the Lake
Connewarre system.
Balance the protection and restoration of the Rivers of the Barwon with planned urban growth and
development.
Design and site development in urban growth areas with river frontage to provide opportunities
for waterway access, activation, and conservation.
Encourage development to create links between open space corridors along the rivers with activity
centres including Geelong and Ballarat.
Protect and prioritise movement and green linkages and public access to the river along river
corridors including the Wallaby Track in Ballarat, River Track in Inverleigh, and Barwon River
Trail in Geelong.
Protect and enhance existing and proposed parklands along the Barwon, Leigh, Moorabool and
Yarrowee Rivers.

Media Release - The Central and Gippsland Sustainable Water Strategy is out.

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday 5^th September 2022

People for A Living Moorabool welcomed the release of the Central and Gippsland Sustainable Water Strategy announced by the Premier Daniel Andrews and Water Minister Harriet Shing today.

“This has been a long process but one which will hopefully relieve some of the stresses on the Moorabool River.” PALM’s coordinator Cameron Steele said today.

The Strategy is a high-level document providing plans for Victoria’s water future. It contains actions which will directly impact Victoria’s most flow stressed river.

“These are absolutely vital measures to help a river which has lost a further 20% of its inflows due to climate change over the last 15 years” Mr Steele said. “It really is a race against time to halt the decline of this magnificent river and it is heartening to finally have that urgency recognised by both Government and our water authorities. But it is still a long way from the 17,000ML required to secure a healthy future for this river.”

An upgrade of the Melbourne Geelong Pipeline will see the long-term average equivalent of 3000ML of water transferred from Barwon Water’s share of the Lal Lal Reservoir . A further 700ML from the Bostock Reservoir will assist the East Moorabool in a shared arrangement with the Wadawurrung and the environment.

Other measures announced include a study into the impact of small catchment dams in the Moorabool and Maribyrnong rivers. The Moorabool River Catchment has one of the highest volumes of water impounded in farm and commercial dams compared to its inflows and this has a direct impact on the health of the river.

 “We have seen a dramatic acceleration in the construction of commercial and smaller catchment dams over the last three years eroding environmental flows gained for the river. This must be addressed otherwise we are simply giving with one hand and taking with another, something which is utterly unsustainable.” Mr Steele said.

An investigation into the rewatering of a Durdidwarrah wetland in the Brisbane Ranges NP was also included. PALM would like to acknowledge the efforts of Wadawurrung man Barry Gilson in helping to secure this action.

End Release

 

Link to final CGRSWS: https://www.water.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/594004/20220902_CentralGippslandRegion_SWS_Final_compressed.pdf

Link to Premier’s release:
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/delivering-water-security-our-future

 

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Murrabul Yaluk Water Quality Monitoring Program Report 2021

12th July 2022

The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority in partnership with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation have released the Murrabul Yaluk Water Quality Monitoring Program Report 2021.

As very welcome piece of collaboration between the CCMA and the Wadawurrung it should be applauded. This is a great example of shared knowledge strengthening and empowering both organisations and it bodes well for managing the future of river's like the Moorabool.

A special recognition needs to go to Kristen Lees, Project Officer Regional Citizen Science at the Corangamite CMA who has been instrumental in driving the partnership.

The four sites that were monitored were:

Site 1 - Lal Lal Creek at Lal Lal Falls Picnic Ground 
Site 2 - Moorabool River at Ford (Dolly Creek Rd bridge crossing) 
Site 3 - CO_MOO023 Moorabool River at Sharps Road crossing She Oaks 
Site 4 - CO_MOO045 Moorabool River at Lilydale House, Dog Rocks Rd, Batesford 

A summary of the results concluded:

"• pH is consistent across all four sites with the majority of
results within the Excellent to Good range.

• The dissolved oxygen saturation was lowest at CO_LAL080
ranging from Degraded to Fair. This site does not receive
eWatering. The three sites that are influenced by eWater had
the majority of results ranging from Good to Excellent.

• Electrical conductivity was best at CO_MOO004 the
majority of results rating as Good, and poorest at
CO_LAL080 with the majority of results ranging from
Fair to Poor. Of the three sites that are influenced by eWater
Electrical conductivity results declined as we moved
downstream.

• Reactive phosphorus results were worst at CO_LAL080
rating from Fair to Poor.

• Turbidity results were consistently Good to Excellent across
all four sites. However, CO_MOO023 and CO_MOO045 did
have Poor condition ratings for the 26th of October 2021
and the 18th of June 2021.

• Aquatic macro-invertebrate ALT SIGNAL2 site scores
(number of creatures / SIGNAL2 score) in 2021 were varied
with CO_LAL080 having an ALT SIGNAL2 score of <4 rating
as 'Severe Pollution', CO_MOO004 having an ALT SIGNAL2
score of between 4 and 5 rates as 'Mild Pollution'. Moving
downstream CO_MOO023 had Autumn 2021 results rate as
'Moderate Pollution' and Spring 2021 being <4 rate as
'Severe Pollution' and CO_MOO045 Autumn 2021 results
rate as 'Severe Pollution' and Spring 2021 rates as
'Moderate Pollution'

 

It is the last observation which is the most confronting. While the low ALT Signal scores have flagged both Mild and Severe 'Pollution' these are instead more likely a reflection of poor flows something which so severely afflicts the Moorabool River.

There are obvious signs that the limited environmental water is having some impact on sites it reaches but the river desperately needs more.