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Eco-study supports Bass River pump planAn independent ecological report into the health of the Bass River supports Westernport Water’s pumping licence application. By Susan Webster - 18th July 2008 - Back to News Westernport Water has applied to the Water Minister for a permanent licence to pump up to 25ML per day during high-flow periods, as part of a backup water supply strategy.
Following an extension of responsibilities for the management of waterways, Melbourne Water commissioned an independent study of the Bass River’s environmental flow needs by a team of hydrologists, ecologists and geomorphologists.
The 61-page Lloyd Environmental report released late last month, supports the science behind Westernport Water’s licence request.
Flow recommendations and stream works proposed by the report support the Westernport Water application for a permanent licence to replace the temporary seasonal permit to pump water from the river during times of high-flow between July and October.
The eco-report noted that low flows in the river over summer were not due to pumping, but part of the river’s natural cycle.
"Low summer flows are required to maintain pool water level and provide perennial habitat for semi-emergent aquatic vegetation, fringing emergent vegetation, fish and macroinvertebrate communities," the report said.
However, it warned against insufficient flow levels, which could lead to a loss of aquatic habitat.
"We are acutely aware of the need for adequate environmental flows," said Keith Gregory, Westernport Water’s acting managing director. "We only take water over and above the environmental flow that provides for the river health."
Last winter Westernport Water used less than 3% of winter flows from the Bass River to help ensure customers had enough water through summer.
Pumping water from the river helped boost Candowie Reservoir’s capacity to more than 90% and had minimal impact on river flows.
Mr Gregory said: "The water pumped from the river comprised only about 25% of the dam fill."
Water flow data shows that the river is prone to sudden large volumes of water in winter. Big flows – up to 2000ML/day – are channelled into the river during peak flow. Of that figure, Westernport Water currently takes only 13ML/day under a temporary licence.
"Quite literally, it is a drop in the ocean of all that water," Mr Gregory said.
A fully-automated pumping station detects when river levels rise and cuts off pumping automatically when river flow falls below the trigger point.
A condition of the pumping licence has seen Westernport Water work with Melbourne Water to help restore part of the riverside environment. Weeds have been removed, native trees, shrubs and grasses planted and the riverbank area refenced as part of the overall pumping station project. The water corporation has already removed willows – a declared riverside weed. It also undertook landscaping works, involving 200 cubic metres … or about 40 truckloads … of rocks.
The planting program extended Westernport Water’s environmental commitment to the region’s waterways. Landcare groups from Bass Valley, Phillip Island and the Tennant Creek Catchment Management Group were the most recent recipients of nearly $50,000 in support from Westernport Water.
Westernport Water also helped to safeguard the river health through a series of surveys checking the waterway’s fish and bug populations. Surveys were conducted near the pumping site, 11km downstream and 45km upstream before works started, and repeated when construction finished and pumping was underway.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: susanw@ptarmigan.com.au
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