News

Reflections: Water for the Environment in Victoria 2017-18 demonstrates that waterways are at the heart of healthy communities and have been strengthened by the establishment of Victoria’s environmental watering program.

The Victorian Environmental Water Holder has released a new trade strategy to transparently outline where we plan to buy or sell water for the environment across Victoria in 2018-19.

Rivers and wetlands across Victoria will benefit from the Victorian Environmental Water Holder's statewide plan for environmental watering over 2018-19.

The Minister for Water is currently considering the VEWH's application to establish a new Upper Barwon River Environmental Entitlement.

The Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH), which is responsible for managing water to improve the state's rivers and wetlands, intends to sell a small portion of its water allocation in the northern Victorian water market.

Congratulations to Victoria's Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) on their achievements throughout 2016-17, which are celebrated in a new report.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) in Victoria has released a report card that shows the progress made for fish, waterbirds and vegetation since the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was established in 2012.

The VEWH's water trading strategy 2017-18 provides a high level overview of the types of water trading activities that VEWH may undertake across Victoria in 2017-18.

They are a tiny little fish, but when they are found, they are big news. The magnificent-looking Murray Darling rainbow fish grows to about seven centimetres long and were once prevalent across the Murray Darling Basin. But not anymore.

After wet springs, irrigation demand can decrease over summer. When this happens, flows in the northern sections of the Loddon River, and its tributaries, can slow to a trickle.

Why have one brain when you can have two? The Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) is making flexibility in the workplace work to its advantage by appointing Dr Sarina Loo and Trent Wallis as executive officers.

Surveys last month saved a juvenile female platypus from death, wildlife ecologist Josh Griffiths says. He discovered the female during the first night of Wimmera Catchment Management Authority surveys in the MacKenzie River with a hair tie wrapped around her neck.

Another peak summer recreation period has ended with minimal environmental water leaving Lake Eppalock.

The co-ordination of environmental flows in three rivers has been used to distribute Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua), Silver Perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) and other native fish across river networks throughout parts of the southern Murray-Darling Basin.

An early morning or evening walk around Lake Hawthorn at the moment is a treat for nature-lovers. Thousands of birds are in temporary residence at the lake in response to seasonal conditions and the availability of water at the saline wetland at Cabarita west of Mildura.

More water will flow through the Thomson River, with the Andrews Labor Government taking the next step in delivering an additional eight gigalitres of water.

A group of recreational anglers recently took the opportunity to learn first-hand how environmental water releases near Mathoura are boosting populations of one of their most prized catches - the Murray Cod.

There are lots of things that impact on the health of our rivers and wetlands, and it may be surprising to learn that land-based animals are high on the list.

Australians are accustomed to thinking that dry is bad, that drying out means death. However, when it comes to wetlands, the opposite can be true – drying out can mean life.

Considered being on a Victorian water or catchment board? DELWP is recruiting for appointments to the first Aboriginal Commissioner of the Victorian Environment Water Holder, catchment management authority boards and water corporation boards.

Native fish will be the beneficiaries of environmental water released into the River Murray this autumn.

Melbourne Water, in partnership with the Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH), will commence an environmental water release to the lower Tarago River system on 1 March.

Where possible, environmental water managers mimic the wetting and drying phases of wetlands that happened naturally. Many wetlands will not thrive without wetting and drying phases, because each phase achieves different purposes at different times.

In 2010 long-time fisherman Brian Murrell reeled in something he didn't expect to see while fishing in the Glenelg River near Casterton.

After a cooler than average summer, Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is about to release the second environmental water flow in the Glenelg River for the 2016/ 2017 summer period.

Providing plants on the banks of the lower Goulburn River a well-needed late summer drink could also encourage golden perch to migrate from the Murray River to the Goulburn.

Rufous night-heron (Nankeen night-heron) and great and intermediate egrets are now completing their breeding in Barmah Forest.

Large-bodied native fish such as Murray Cod in the Loddon River are being fitted with acoustic tags as part of a new monitoring program investigating fish responses to environmental flow deliveries across Victoria.

Additional water is being released from Goulburn Weir to help dilute debris-rich run-off from local creeks that has discoloured the Goulburn River downstream of Shepparton during the past couple of days.

Environmental watering is playing a critical role in fighting the decline of waterbirds in eastern Australia.

The Campaspe River downstream of Rochester is a special part of the world. River red gums that pre-date European settlement line its banks and provide a safe home for the endangered sugar glider.

Environmental water managers, like anglers and the general community, are really concerned about the impacts of blackwater.

The Loddon River is not just the largest river in north central Victoria, it is the pride of our region.

The much-anticipated bird-breeding event in northern Victoria is on, and the internationally important Lake Cullen is the place to be.

The Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) intends to sell some environmental water allocation in the northern Victorian water market.

Minor flooding in rivers and creeks across the Goulburn Broken catchment have triggered a native fish breeding frenzy.

Environmental water is being released into Barmah Forest wetlands to support the waterbird breeding boom triggered by the recent high natural Murray River flows.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is kickstarting plans to mitigate against potential toxic blackwater outbreaks in parts of the Loddon River.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) says weeks of flooding in the Campaspe River has shown that when it comes to water, Mother Nature can be both cruel and kind.

You don't need to be as wise as an owl or have an eagle eye to realise it has been lovely weather for ducks over the past few months.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) says recent flooding in the Campaspe and Loddon rivers is likely to have prevented the successful breeding this season of one of Australia's most iconic animals.

Due to recent flooding, the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA) says no environmental water has been released from Rocklands Reservoir into the Glenelg River since July.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority says river users may notice a darker water colour in parts of the River Murray and its tributaries over the coming weeks.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is carefully managing a series of key wetlands in the north of the state to both capitalise on the wet conditions and limit any damage from the recent floods.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is taking advantage of a rare opportunity to put floodwater into Lake Cullen, near Kerang, to provide food for the expected post-flood bird boom.

Environmental watering is underway at Hattah Lakes, taking advantage of high flows in the River Murray. For the past three weeks, river flows in the River Murray have been high enough to naturally enter Chalka Creek, giving native aquatic plants and animals the opportunity to move between the river and the lakes.

Melbourne Water is expecting a baby boom of threatened Australian Grayling having successfully mimicked ideal breeding conditions for the species through the release of environmental water in the Tarago River.

Science and Mother Nature have combined forces ensuring there is no need for August's scheduled environmental water release down the Campaspe River.  Rainfall in late July and early August fell at the same time the 50ML-a-day winter low flow was heading down the river.

Good winter rain and an optimistic forecast means Victoria's environmental water holder is adjusting environmental water deliveries to rivers and wetlands for a wetter season in northern Victoria.

Above-average rainfall and flooding in Victoria's High Country is providing an unexpected boost to Gunbower Forest.  Rainfall as much as 200 per cent above average in the Goulburn, Kiewa and Ovens river catchments in July has resulted in more water than expected entering the Murray River downstream of Lake Hume.

The water allocation trading strategy for 2016-17 scopes potential trade. It includes the possibility of selling water in northern Victoria and purchasing water in the Moorabool and Maribyrnong systems to maintain water quality and protect plants and animals.

The state's holder of environmental water has released a plan to ensure water in rivers and wetlands in 2016-17 provides for native fish, birds and plants.

The Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) has purchased 5 gigalitres (5,000 megalitres) of water to help protect habitat, water quality and animals in Wimmera and Glenelg waterways.

Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Lisa Neville released the booklet, Reflections – Environmental Watering in Victoria 2014-15, at Healesville Sanctuary highlighting the importance of environmental watering to the state's platypus population.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has delayed a planned wetland watering in the north of the state on the back of the prolonged blue-green algae (BGA) outbreak in the Murray River system.

A low-level environmental watering of Lake Hawthorn is underway as an interim measure to help retain a refuge for thousands of waterbirds.

News relating to environmental water flows and blue-green algae.

The Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) has authorised the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority to deliver up to 10 GL of Victorian environmental water to the Goulburn River to 'wet' and support the recovery of river bank vegetation while also increasing habitat for water bugs and fish.

The VEWH has approved a request from the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority to re-allocate 300 ML of environmental water from Reedy Swamp to Kinnairds Wetland in the Goulburn and Broken wetlands.

The Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) is seeking to buy up to 10,000 ML of water allocation to protect drying Wimmera and Glenelg waterways from irreversible environmental loss.

When you're sitting on the banks of the Murray River, it's easy to forget that the water flowing past might not be there due to recent rain. Chances are it's there because it's been intentionally released from upstream to benefit plants and animals.

The Victorian Environmental Water Holder has released its water allocation trading strategy for northern and western Victoria for 2015-16.