THE longest-running water monitoring group in the Wimmera believes environmental flows to Lake Hindmarsh could be better used elsewhere.
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Jeparit Waterwatch is celebrating 20 years of water monitoring this month.
The group collects monthly water samples in the region to determine salinity, pH levels and water temperature.
Spokesperson David Livingston said the group had stopped testing Lake Hindmarsh because of its low water level.
"There's just a few inches on a third of the lake bed running out there to waste," he said.
Mr Livingston said environmental flows allocated to the lake were too generous.
"Lake Hindmarsh is a big lake and it takes a lot of water to fill, and a lot of water to keep it full," he said.
"Environmental flows could have been cut by at least 40 per cent and done the same job.
"Some of the water there now could have been diverted to the Yarriambiack Creek, which has got as much right to have water as the Wimmera River, instead of letting it run into the lake to dry up."
Mr Livingston said there was only one way to revive Lake Hindmarsh.
"What we want is 25 inches of rain to fall to fill the lake up," he said.
Mr Livingston said recent tests showed the Wimmera River was in good condition.
"The main thing we're worried about is phragmites grass which is clogging the river," he said.
"The town's angling club has trailed a spray and hopefully it can do a lot more.
"Apart from that, the river is looking very healthy."
Mr Livingston said new and old Jeparit WaterWatch members and members of the community gathered at Wimmera Mallee Pioneer Museum last week to mark the group's 20th birthday.
"We had an informal talk and barbeque and showed photos of the river taken in the past year, plus ones of the lake in dire straights and its good days," he said.
Mr Livingston said he hoped Jeparit Waterwatch would continue to keep records of waterways for many years to come.
"I would like to thank everybody who has supported us over the years, asked questions and brought in water to us," he said.
Jeparit Waterwatch meets on the second Wednesday of each month at the pioneer museum at 10am.
Mr Livingston said anyone was welcome to join.
