Western region << BACK TO CONTENTS The Wimmera River system’s native fish and platypus showed signs of recovery and growth in 2016–17, demonstrating the importance of careful environmental water management. Heavy rain in winter and spring marked the end of an extended dry period. As a result, the waterways flowed naturally, reducing the need for environmental water and achieving many environmental outcomes naturally. The heavy rain meant there was more water in the bank to build the resilience of the plants and animals that rely on rivers and protect them in future dry years. Water for the environment in 2016–17 capitalised on the wet conditions in winter and early spring to ensure low flows and some variable higher flows occurred in spring, summer and autumn. Water for the environment also continued to support plants and animals to recover from the extended Millennium Drought. During the drought, rivers and creeks in the Wimmera system dried out everywhere, except for a handful of small waterholes. In December 2016, the Arthur Rylah Institute undertook fish monitoring as part of the Murray–Darling Basin Authority’s Fish Survey. It found there were healthy native fish populations in the MacKenzie River and that the number of native fish compared to the number of non-native fish was high. Researchers also found platypus numbers were steadily rising, as the current population continued to breed and disperse into areas that would have dried out without water for the environment. When surveying in the MacKenzie River at Zumsteins, researchers saved the life of a juvenile female platypus they nicknamed Maddie. Wildlife ecologist Josh Griffiths, working with Wimmera CMA, discovered Maddie with a hair tie wrapped around her neck: it would have killed her within weeks. Josh removed the hair tie and released Maddie back into the wild, so she can grow and hopefully breed in the future. Waterway manager: Wimmera CMA Storage manager: Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Site Wimmera River MacKenzie River and Burnt Creek Lower Mount William Creek Volume delivered in 2016–17 (ML) 7,116 3,429 155 The Wimmera River at Dimboola, by Chloe Wiesenfeld 49 | Victorian Environmental Water Holder
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