Protesters call for action on lake level

A GROUP concerned about levels at Lake Eppalock rallied at one of its spillways on Sunday demanding authorities release more water from storage.

The reservoir is at almost 99 per cent capacity, and the group including many Rochester residents are concerned about a repeat of last’s years flooding that inundated the town.

Protest organiser Catriona Jenkins said many downstream need to prepare for future floods.

“We’re fighting to ensure that what’s put in place are some really substantial strategies that will help us in the future when we do have exactly what happened to us in October last year,” said Ms Jenkins.

“It’s not just this year, and letting a bit of water down now that we’re fighting for, we’re fighting for our town.”

Shelley Nichol said she believed residents would “not give up” on getting action.

“There are people on the edge, and nobody’s talking about mental health,” said Ms Nichol.

“If you’ve been through a flood twice, it’s devastating. The families that have gone through it in 2011 and 2022, I don’t know how they can do it.

“In 2011 we were told it would never happen again, and people sat back, we were really naive, we really believed in the politicians that they would do something, and they haven’t.”

Graeme Ludbrook said he had to be evacuated from his flooded home last year by boat, and that he has ongoing anxiety from the event.

“Let enough water out so that people can breathe a bit easier,” he said. “At the moment she’s chock-a-block, so everybody in the town basically, they’re stressed.”

Wayne Vincent said he’s sent emails to politicians with concerns, and the response he got back said they were also waiting for action from one of the lake’s management authorities, Goulburn-Murray Water.

“So, somebody in power needs to be able to say yes let that water out… we need a critical point in Eppalock that states let that water go,” said he said.

“We’re at 99 per cent full now. One deluge and we’re in trouble.”

The water storage is jointly managed by irrigation authority GMW, who is responsible for 82 per cent, and drinking water utility Coliban Water which looks after 18 per cent.

GMW general manager of water storage services Martina Cusack said the organisation’s primary role is to “store and deliver on behalf of individual entitlement holders.”

She also said GMW must not release water unless required to supply primary entitlements, regulate water quality issues, or for maintenance purposes.

“Releases are made to meet customer orders,” she said.

A day after the protest, GMW announced the company had begun releasing 800 megalitres a day, which Ms Cusack said was due to projected inflows, and that further increases were possible.

Ms Cusack said the reservoir was designed to hold 100 per cent of its capacity, should the weather and environment allow, to maximise release potential for customers.