Environmental watering in the Campaspe River
Campaspe River during environmental watering
© Darren White, North Central CMA
Environmental watering 2012-13
29 August 2012 – Campaspe River
Up to 6,774 ML of Commonwealth environmental water has been made available for use in the Campaspe River in Victoria during 2012-13.
Campaspe River during environmental watering
© Darren White, North Central CMA
Commonwealth environmental water will be used to provide base flows and freshes to support the maintenance of native riparian vegetation, fish and macroinvertebrates, and ecosystem function, with end of system flows to contribute to environmental objectives in the lower River Murray. The enhancement of these flows will:
- Maintain the health and existing extent of riparian native vegetation communities, and provide reproduction and recruitment opportunities.
- Provide habitat, breeding and recruitment opportunities for fish and invertebrates.
- Support ecosystem functions that relate to the mobilisation, transport and dispersal of biotic and abiotic material, lateral and longitudinal connectivity to maintain populations, and the creation and maintenance of bed, bank and riparian habitat.
This watering action will be managed in cooperation with the Victorian Environmental Water Holder, Goulburn-Murray Water and the North Central Catchment Management Authority.
What makes this place so special and why Commonwealth environmental water is used here?
- It includes plants and animals of national, regional and local conservation significance including the Murray cod and the trout cod
- supports populations of the iconic platypus
- provides important ecological links to the Murray River by enabling species to travel between the two river systems
- provides important refugia for species in times of drought, including pools at the Campaspe Siphon and Campaspe Weir.