Harrow district people are angry over the loss of water flow in the Glenelg River.
They said yesterday lack of flow from Rocklands had left the river dry for two weeks.
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They said it was the first time since 1982 the river had run out of water.
Farmer Ken McLeod said water did not flow through Harrow for about two weeks before Christmas. Water had not arrived until Wednesday last week.
He had waited until New Year's Day for water to reach his property.
"The Glenelg is the major system in western Victoria, yet is allowed to wither and die," he said.
"It really goes back to 1956 when Rocklands was dammed and stopped the natural flow onto the Glenelg. Most water over the years has been diverted to the Wimmera-Mallee system."
Harrow residents rely on Glenelg River water for stock and domestic supply. The water is too salty for people to drink.
Mr McLeod said the dry river had strengthened Harrow district residents' resolve to push for greater flows. He had support from Balmoral and Casterton.
Selfish
"We don't want it all. We just think the Wimmera is being rather selfish and has given very little help to the Glenelg. We want water to be shared by the Wimmera and Glenelg," Mr McLeod said.
The Wimmera River had received about 65 megalitres a day from Rocklands. The Glenelg River received 15 megalitres.
- Farmer Ken McLeod
"We suggest that real thought go to giving the Glenelg river system more water to prevent it drying."
He said Wimmera-Mallee piping had resulted in water savings but it had all gone to the Wimmera River.
Mr McLeod said Wimmera Mallee Water had told him that Harrow people should cart water for stock and domestic use.
Horsham residents would soon protest in they were asked to cart water from Wartook rather than have it piped.
Mr McLeod said because Harrow was smaller, Wimmera Mallee Water thought it could push residents around.
Dead river
He said Harrow district people wanted support from District parliamentarians.
Wimmera Angling Club applied for stocking for the Glenelg River on behalf of Harrow Angling Club in February last year.
Officials had said the river was 'dead' and there was no value in releasing fish into the river.
Mr McLeod said Wimmera Mallee Water system controller John Martin of Horsham had attended a meeting last Thursday and told him that it took water three weeks to flow from Rocklands to Harrow.
"If that's the case they need to develop a better system to regulate the water."
Konings: Water flow is not our responsibility
Wimmera Mallee Water denied responsibility last night for any water supply problems for the Glenelg River in Harrow district.
General manager John Konings said it was not up to the water authority to decide where environmental flow water was used.
Mr Konings said: "That decision is made by the Wimmera River catchment co-ordination group. We release the water but don't decide what the release pattern is. It's usually done by the community-based group."
Mr Konings was responding to criticism by Harrow district residents angry at loss of water flow in the Glenelg River.
Mr Konings said it was up to the Glenelg community to have an 'informed and objective discussion' with representatives of the Wimmera catchment community.
