Glenelg system

The Glenelg River, known as Bochara in Dhawuard Wurrung, Pawur in Bunganditj and Bogara in Wergaia- Jadawadjali languages, is a significant feature in the cultural landscape of south-western Victoria. The river features in creation stories from the region. Bochara-Bugara-Pawur continues to be an important place for Traditional Owners, who have inhabited the area for thousands of years, using the rich resources available along the river and associated habitats.

In planning for environmental flows in the Glenelg River, Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation and Glenelg Hopkins CMA have considered:

• supporting the health of cultural heritage sites, such as scar trees and the health of native plants which are sources of traditional foods and medicines
• improved health and abundance of totem species and their habitat resulting from environmental watering also has benefits for Traditional Owner spiritual wellbeing
• supporting contemporary cultural events (such as the Johnny Mullagh Cup).

Aboriginal peoples across the Glenelg catchment have retained a strong identity and connection to the traditional lands for which they have custodial rights and responsibilities. Traditional Owner values in the Bochara-Bugara-Pawur system align strongly with environmental values. Traditional Owner values are holistic and interrelated.

These values are bound up in the health of the river system overall, and the Country that the river is part of. Traditional Owner wellbeing is connected to the health of the river and the Country.

The Season Flows Calendar (Figure 1) illuminates flow regimes along one reach of the Glenelg River (reach 1b 5-Mile Outlet to Chetwynd River) and aligns them with corresponding environmental events and observations.

The Glenelg region had near-average rainfall and above- average temperatures during 2019–20, with large rain events during winter/spring and throughout autumn contributing flows via tributaries below Rocklands Reservoir. Inflows into the Wimmera-Mallee headworks tracked well below average, although milder conditions meant that evaporation losses were lower than normal over summer/ autumn. On 1 April 2020, allocations reached 42 percent for the year for the Wimmera-Glenelg environmental entitlement. These allocations supplemented the 28,515 ML of environmental water carried over from 2018–19.

Natural flow in the Glenelg River provided required low flow and freshes during winter/spring 2019. These natural flows meant a proportion of prescribed passing flows could be withheld in winter and released in spring to meet Glenelg River flow objectives. Water for the environment was released from Rocklands Reservoir between November 2019 and May 2020 to maintain low flow and deliver summer/autumn freshes to provide habitat for native

fish, platypus and waterbugs, allow fish and platypus to disperse and support instream and streamside vegetation. A trial watering event from Moora Moora Reservoir to the upper Glenelg River (reach 0) was delivered in November and December 2019, to better understand how managed flows could be used to support plant, waterbug and animal populations above Rocklands Reservoir.

All of the high-priority potential watering actions for the Glenelg River below Rocklands Reservoir were met in 2019–20 through natural flows, passing flows, managed environmental flows or a combination of these. Continuous flows were maintained through the whole system, and several freshes were delivered during summer and autumn to flush pools and improve the quality of habitat for native fish and platypus. Different release patterns were trialled from Rocklands Reservoir, 5-Mile Outlet and 12-Mile Outlet during summer/autumn 2019–20 to understand the most efficient way of meeting environmental flow targets.

Low storage levels across the Wimmera-Mallee headworks mean that if dry conditions persist, environmental watering actions in the Glenelg River during 2020–21 will primarily focus on protecting water quality and refuge habitat in reaches 1 and 2, to prevent significant declines in native fish and platypus populations.

Table 2 shows the partners, stakeholder organisations and individuals with which Glenelg Hopkins CMA engaged when preparing the Glenelg system seasonal watering proposal.

Seasonal watering proposals are informed by longer-term regional catchment strategies, regional waterway strategies, environmental flow studies, water management plans and other studies. These incorporate a range of environmental, cultural, social and economic perspectives and longerterm integrated catchment and waterway management objectives. For further details, refer to the Glenelg Hopkins Regional Catchment Management Strategy and Glenelg Hopkins Waterway Strategy for further details.

Table 2 Partners and stakeholders engaged in developing the Glenelg system seasonal watering proposal