By Jesse Graham
Water quality in the Watts and Yarra rivers will be improved by billions of litres of extra water being released from Maroondah and Upper Yarra reservoirs by Melbourne Water.
Around four billion litres of water is being released from the reservoirs as part of Melbourne Water’s Summer Fresh release, which mimics natural fluctuations in river flows.
The aim of the release is to maintain water quality and move sediment and dirt from riverbeds, improving habitat for insects and fish and surrounding vegetation.
Melbourne Water organises the release with the Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) to plan the release from the dams.
The Watts River, which flows from near the reservoir, was expected to rise between 40-60cm during the release.
Senior environmental water planner, Cheryl Edwards, said the Summer Fresh release was targeting water quality downstream, in Warrandyte – but there were flow-on effects for animals like the platypus, which feed on insects around rivers.
Ms Edwards said the release was one of “a number” of Melbourne Water releases throughout the year, which mimicked how rivers normally fluctuated with storms and dry periods.
“This particular event actually goes for two weeks – because we’re trying to mimic nature: the flows slowly ramp up, rises, then we have a peak … and then the flow’s down again,” she said.
In the peak of the release, from 29 January to 3 February, Ms Edwards said between 200-250 megalitres of water was released each day from Maroondah Reservoir – roughly 2315 litres per second.
The Upper Yarra Reservoir was releasing about 300 megalitres per day during the same period.
“The release will deliver great social benefits by improving conditions for everyone who enjoys the Yarra, particularly those engaged in fishing, camping and canoeing,” Ms Edwards said.
“Improving water quality also delivers indirect economic benefits to irrigators and urban water supply.”
For more information, visit www.melbournewater.com.au
