WATER managers and Lake Lonsdale Action Group are working together to preserve the drying reaches of the Mt William Creek system in the wake of ongoing dry conditions.
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Action group chairman Ray Howard joined Wimmera Catchment Management Authority for a fish survey in the upper reaches of Mt William Creek above Lake Lonsdale to help prioritise areas for environmental watering.
Wimmera CMA chief executive David Brennan said they had worked closely with the action group for the past several years to develop contingencies for maintaining refuge for wildlife including fish if the lake went dry.
"Environmental water releases to upper Mt William Creek will provide crucial drought refuge for native fish until the natural winter flows arrive," Mr Brennan said.
"We are working with GWM Water and landholders to determine the best way to deliver these releases."
One option is delivering water from Lake Fyans via an outlet channel and a tributary that flows into Mt William Creek.
"The community's input into determining environmental priorities has been vital and we are pleased that Ray could join us while the fish monitoring took place," Mr Brennan said.
Environmental researcher Dion Iervasi from Austral Research and Consulting, who has been surveying Mt William Creek around Lake Lonsdale since 2008, surveyed two sites. He said they were yet to analyse the data but described the latest results overall as 'mixed'.
"We haven't done the full analysis, but there is some good and some bad in what we found."
Upstream of Lake Lonsdale they found 107 Southern Pygmy Perch, 33 Australian Smelt and good numbers of Common Galaxias and Flatheaded Gudgeon. Dion described the Southern Pygmy Perch population in this part of the creek as 'good'.
Downstream of Lake Lonsdale they also found a diverse native fish population but it was lower in abundance compared to previous surveys.
Mr Iervasi said they also found a 250 millimetre River Blackfish, which is considered 'big' for the species in the Wimmera. This is the only individual Blackfish they have found in the lower Mt William Creek since 2008.
"The goal of these surveys is to discover populations of native species to help direct where environmental water releases can have the most benefit," Mr Iervasi said.
"At the moment the habitat is okay for our native fish and if you can get water into these areas and increase habitat, it will create better conditions for native species particularly the Southern Pygmy Perch."
Mr Howard, a keen fisherman who grew up alongside Mt William Creek at Ledcourt, said improved water quality in the river system was a win for everyone.
He said if environmental water releases were provided to maintain water quality in sections of Mt William Creek around Lonsdale, these flows would also help ensure water flowed into the lake more quickly when it rained.
He said it was pleasing to see so many redfin above Lake Lonsdale because when water returned, there would be a large influx of the popular recreational species.
"Although we're concerned about low levels in Lake Lonsdale, we don't want all the water for the lake," Mr Howard said.
"We appreciate the value of environmental water because our rivers have to be in good condition as well."
He said it was satisfying to have open dialogue between the action group, Wimmera CMA and GWM Water.
It is a far cry from several years ago when the action group expressed strong criticism towards how authorities managed environmental water releases. Their main criticism was directed at taking environmental water releases from Lake Lonsdale.
Mr Howard said the authorities and people at the lower end of the river misunderstood that the action group's argument was just about keeping water in Lake Lonsdale.
"The Lake Lonsdale Action Group's ideal situation is for everyone to have water," Mr Howard said.
"If we've got water at this end of the river, we've got enough to go right the way to the other end.
"My argument all along has been to ensure that the water management rules under the piped system let everyone benefit."
Mr Howard said he enjoyed being part of the fish surveys to see first-hand how Wimmera CMA collected data to help prioritise environmental water releases.
He said Wimmera CMA had 'done a good job in improving waterway quality' and it was pleasing to see they were 'getting somewhere' even when conditions were dry.
"If we've got healthy waterways, rivers and lakes, everyone benefits," Mr Howard said.
"I will continue to campaign and keep the dialogue going that our water is managed to benefit the environment, economy and recreation.
"Open dialogue and working together is critical to this and I'm happy we have communication and cooperation."