EXCAVATION works at Toolondo Reservoir have given the lake’s fish a renewed fighting chance of surviving the summer.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The lake is sitting at 13 per cent capacity, despite receiving 5000 megalitres of water in January.
This time last year it was at 17 per cent capacity.
Fisheries Victoria and the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority have completed works to separate existing wetlands at Toolondo.
Authority chief executive David Brennan said the groups worked with anglers and the Toolondo community to find a way to protect both the fish habitat and water in the lake.
“We have had a small excavator go out there and separate the wetlands in Toolondo,” he said..
“Toolondo comprises three wetlands, with the deepest one to the south, the next deepest to the north and a shallow one to the eastern side.
“The work was about reinstating the original banks of Toolondo, so there is less water being evaporated because there wasn’t the ability for water to flow from the deepest lake to the northern lake.
“The three lakes are blocked off now into the three original wetlands.”
Mr Brennan said the move would conserve water in the lake.
“We had a number of conversations with the community about options and what will happen when it starts to get really dry,” he said.
“This was a no brainer to try to minimise evaporation by reducing the surface area from the three lakes.”
Fisheries Victoria will now explore whether it is possible to pump water from the northern lake to the southern lake.
“They will be doing calculations and working with GWMWater to find out if that will work,” Mr Brennan said.
“Anything we can do to make water use more efficient and effective and reduce the evaporation is a good initiative.”
Mr Brennan said the community was pleased something was being done to help protect the reservoir and its fish.
“Ideally, the community would like to see Toolondo completely full of water,” he said.
“Unfortunately after the a dry number of years there isn’t a lot of water around for any lakes - Green Lake is on the way out, Natimuk Lake is dry and Lake Lonsdale is dry.
“Anything we can do to preserve water is a good move.”
Mr Brennan said the excavation works had finished at Toolondo for the moment.
“But hopefully we will find out within the next few weeks if pumping water will go ahead,” he said.
