Arthur Rylah Institute staff monitoring the health of the Campaspe River banks.
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The health of the Campaspe River continues to improve, with the latest monitoring pointing to a continued restoration from the 2022 floods.
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The one-in-500-year floods damaged parts of the Campaspe downstream of Lake Eppalock, stripping bank and aquatic vegetation and impacting fish populations.
Since then, the North Central Catchment Management Authority has been working with Goulburn-Murray Water and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder to slowly improve things.
“We have been really happy with how things have been progressing since 2022,” North Central CMA environmental flows project manager Darren White said.
“Our water for the environment program is making a difference and the latest monitoring data from the Arthur Rylah Institute shows that trend has continued.”
Monitoring has recorded higher numbers of the vulnerable golden perch and critically endangered silver perch were captured just below Lake Eppalock for the first time.
Murray cod numbers were also recorded along all reaches, adult trout cod were recorded in surveys for the first time and carp numbers have dropped.
“On the vegetation side of things, we have seen significant recovery on the river’s lower banks since 2022,’’ Mr White said.
“Overall bank health is also on the improve, with the recovery of vegetation in the lower sections.”
Arthur Rylah Insitute staff monitoring the Campaspe River using a drone.
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Restoration of the river is set to continue when the yearly autumn/winter low flows, which start this month.
Between 100 and 200 megalitres a day will flow from Eppalock from June until November.
The flows will be well within the banks of the river, with the banks able to hold between, 9000Ml and 11,000Ml a day.
“The water will provide the right conditions for everything from fish to vegetation, waterbugs and platypuses,’’ Mr White said.
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