Mother Nature has filled us up

THE Campaspe River is looking fuller than it has in years.

And it’s mostly thanks to Mother Nature.

Low lying rural areas have almost been swallowed by the body of water, while the junction meeting the Murray in Echuca is virtually level.

Heavy rainfall this winter has gifted the Murray and Campaspe with abundant water levels while flows in the Campaspe River locally are receding and moving towards Echuca.

The Victorian SES is monitoring water levels along the Murray and Campaspe but it’s expected to remain below minor flood level.

The Murray peaked at 5.53m in Barham-Koondrook last Tuesday.

Some residents suspected the Murray-Darling Basin Authority had started higher releases from the Hume Dam, after reports it was filling rapidly and could spill by mid-August.

MDBA river management executive director David Dreverman warned people downstream of Lake Hume to move stock and equipment to higher ground earlier this month but releases have remained at a minimum.

MDBA may increase releases in coming days to keep some airspace for flood mitigation. Actual operations will be determined by rain and any releases for irrigation or environmental use.

Goulburn-Murray Water water resources manager Mark Bailey said if this occurred, the G-MW would release about 50Ml a day downstream of Lake Eppalock to meet minimum flow requirements and an environmental flow order from the North Central Catchment Management Authority.

‘‘The higher flows of recent days are the first big flush of the river since the rain began falling in May,’’ Dr Bailey said.

‘‘It has taken the catchment downstream of Lake Eppalock quite a while to wet up and generate runoff to the tributaries to the Campaspe and Murray Rivers.’’

He said rivers would remain high for weeks coming.

Flows from the Kiewa and Ovens rivers have passed Yarrawonga Weir and are moving slowly through the Barmah Forest. The recent rises were caused by flows from the Goulburn and Broken rivers.

‘‘I think the rivers are enjoying the increased flows of recent times,’’ Dr Bailey said.

‘‘The very dry conditions of the last two years meant many smaller streams ran dry and large parts of the riverbanks were not touched. The higher flows should help riverine vegetation and the creatures (fish, invertebrates, insects etc) that call the rivers home.’’