Media Releases

Reedy Swamp is currently receiving a much-needed drink to maintain it as a drought refuge this year.

Early warning systems are being set up to allow authorities to respond quickly if heavy rain in the coming months washes fire ash into waterways.

Contamination of farm dam water supply is an immediate threat after bushfire, warns Department of Primary Industries Soils and Water Team Leader Bruce Radford. "Large amounts of ash, sediment and debris can be washed into dams after rain resulting in unusable water supplies," Mr Radford said. Farmers in fire affected areas need to act now, before significant rains, to ensure they protect their water supplies. Farmers also need to take steps to protect water supplies from runoff out of stock containment areas. Mr Radford advises that contamination of water supply by ash, sediment and organic matter does not generally pose a health risk to stock. However, stock often refuse to drink the contaminated water. High volumes of sediment entering dams will reduce the storage capacity of the dam. Large amounts of organic matter, e.g. dung, can result in algal blooms, deoxygenation of the water and water becoming unusable.

Please note: Due to forcasted extreme weather, Friday's "Farming in a Changing Climate" Seminar has been postponed until further notice. It is planned to be rescheduled to during the cooler months. Watch this space for more information.

The current string of very hot days has resulted in extremely high water temperatures in our streams which may cause water quality issues, including the possibility of some fish deaths.

Nine artificial habitat pools within the Broken and Boosey Creeks are being established as a trial to see if they can help maintain threatened aquatic species during dry periods.

The Goulburn Broken CMA is notifying the community that the Broken River has temporarily ceased to flow downstream of the Orrvale gauge which will soon be rectified.

The drought isn't stopping the fish biting in the Goulburn River near Thornton this summer.

Two Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority implementation committees have combined to become one to ensure the community is actively involved in decisions regarding the long term sustainability of the uplands and plains of the Goulburn Broken catchment.

Local water management agencies are warning residents that there will be low water levels in rivers, lakes and wetlands this summer.

The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GB CMA) is seeking public comment on the regions new Dryland Landscape Strategy (DLS).

Dead stands of willows and sycamores and fallen exotic timber are being cleared from the Delatite River, upstream of Merrijig and through to Mirimbah.

The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority is urging landowners to protect remnant pools of water, within local streams, during the current drought.

The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority is urging landowners to protect waterway frontages during the current drought.

Local communities, affected by continued drought conditions, will benefit from the recent announcement of an extension to the Drought Employment Program within the Goulburn Broken Catchment.