Plea to keep the Moorabool flowing

SEVERE flow stress in the lower reaches of the Moorabool River has been exacerbated by people blocking a culvert at Dollys Creek Road.

The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) says the lowest reach of the river surrounding Batesford and Meredith continues to be extremely vulnerable to cease-to-flow events, when the river stops flowing completely.

Recent hot and dry conditions are also making it very difficult for fish, platypus and other animals that rely on the water to survive.

The Moorabool River is one of the most flow-stressed rivers in Victoria.

The construction of reservoirs, water extraction and a significant number of farm damns in the catchment are other contributing factors.

Corangamite CMA project officer of estuaries and environment water Jake van Dam said everyone all played a part in protecting the river’s flow.

“It’s up to all of us to look after our beautiful, life-giving Moorabool River and an easy way for everyone to do this is to respect the flow,” he said.

“One of the ways we support the health of our rivers and wetlands is through water for the environment – water set aside in storages that is released into rivers and wetlands to support the plants and animals that live, feed and breed in them.

“When people prevent flow from moving from one point to another on the Moorabool River, they are blocking both the natural flows, which are very low right now, and water for the environment.”

Under state legislation, interfering with water flow in a river can result in fines of up to $244,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 10 years.