Water rats and platypus will be among the beneficiaries of environmental flows down three connected central Victorian waterways over the next few weeks.
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Water will flow down the Loddon River from Laanecoorie Reservoir to the Little Murray River near Benjeroop- about 370kms - and meet up with water for the environment flowing down Pyramid Creek at Kerang.
A third flow will see water travel down the Loddon and be diverted to Serpentine Creek.
The flows are targeted at fish health but will also improve the health of the waterways, North Central CMA Environmental Water Project Officer Max Smiles-Schmidt said.
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Benefits all round
"The flows will scour any accumulated sediment from pools and provide food for water bugs by washing the biofilms, or the slime, off the logs in the river," he said.
"The flows will wet up the banks, which will help with vegetation growth, and will help to wash away organic matter that may cause water quality issues as the weather heats up.
"For the fish, these flows are vital. The water will trigger the migration of native fish such as Murray cod and golden perch across all the three waterways.
Mr Smiles-Schmidt said monitoring had shown that almost three times as many fish move up the Loddon when flows such as these are going on.
"That movement allows for a greater diversity of fish and healthier populations. It will also make for great fishing," he said.
Help for water rats, platypus
But fish wouldn't be the only species enjoying the flows.
"We have really important populations of rakalis (water rats) and platypuses in the Loddon River and in Serpentine Creek," the environmental water project officer said.
"Water for environment at the right time of the year encourages female platypuses in the Loddon to select nesting burrows higher up the bank, which will reduce the risk of larger flows later in the year flooding their burrows and killing their puggles."
The North Central CMA said the flows were authorised by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder in line with its 2023-24 seasonal watering plan, which is available for download from www.vewh.vic.gov.au.
Regular watering updates are also posted at www.nccma.vic.gov.au.
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