MORE than 13,000 people spent the day at Lake Lascelles at Hopetoun in the past year.
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The Wimmera Development Association study found that the lake injected $546,780 in the region’s economy in 2016-17.
Other Yarriambiack Shire waterways identified in the study included Lake Marma at Murtoa, Yarriambiack Creek at Warracknabeal, and the Brim and Beulah weir pools.
Overall, these waterways contributed $2.8 million to the region’s economy.
The report found that Lake Marma was originally a small dammed natural swamp, before it became incorporated into the Wimmera Mallee water supply system more than a century ago.
The lake was once a source of Murtoa’s drinking water until the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline.
Lake Marma Reserve management committee secretary Mark Schache said the lake was full at the moment.
“In the summer, people will go down there and bring their friends and families and go skiing,” he said.
“It puts the town in a pretty good position. When it’s full, it’s easy to get a boat in and have a great time.”
Mr Schache said the lake had a problem with weeds this year, but the committee was tackling the issue.
The Brim weir pool is one of the smallest recreational waterways in the Wimmera and southern Mallee, with a basin volume of 120 megalitres.
The Beulah weir pool is larger, with a basin volume of 140 megalitres.
In 2016-17, there were 1176 day users at Beulah weir pool and 783 overnight visitors.
At the Brim weir pool, there were 5198 day visitors and 2172 overnight visitors.
Yarriambiack Creek at Warracknabeal is widely used by residents for walking and other forms of regular exercise. It is also a site for picnics and relaxation.
The creek contributed $540,984 to the economy.