After the floods
Location
Walhalla, Noojee, Macalister, Thomson Rivers
Outputs
- Received and responded to nearly 200 community reports of waterway damage.
- Undertook over 150 site assessments.
- Stabilised riverbeds and banks at 44 sites.
- Delivered significant amounts of waterway recovery works including:
– 5 repaired or constructed waterway structures
– 14 kilometres of fencing repair or replacement
– 4 hectares of revegetation
– 17 hectares of remnant protection
– 1 hectare of weed control and 45 earthworks.
Investment
Victorian Government
Partners
Community, landholders, council, Parks Victoria and DELWP.
Regional strategies
Regional Catchment Strategy
One significant rain event in June 2021 had lasting impacts across the West Gippsland catchment. A program of flood recovery works over the year means wildlife and wetlands are now recovering and thriving.
Floods are a natural part of the catchment cycle. After drought and bushfires in 2019, rains flooded the catchment resulting in up to one-in-one-hundred-year flood events in some of West Gippsland’s rivers.
West Gippsland CMA initially responded to hundreds of community calls, focusing on areas of urgent concern such as major tree and debris removal and fencing repairs.
In 2021-22, a recovery program was delivered in partnership with community, landholders, council, Parks Victoria and DELWP. Works included bank stabilisation, repairs to damaged fences and ultimately revegetation.
The team used their experience of previous floods to achieve the best results by working with natural materials and processes. In the upper Macalister, logs washed down the river were dug back into the banks to stabilise them and provide habitat for fish.
“All flood recovery works were done in partnership with communities, other government agencies and landholders to achieve the best possible outcome for the waterway and all stakeholders,” said Board Chair Mikaela Power.
“That is the great part about the CMA. We were able to respond quickly, using our local contacts and knowledge to effectively undertake much needed repair works.”
While floods are disruptive for humans, they also provide cues for animals, connect wetlands and are essential for waterway health.
“We are delighted with the natural river flows of the past year and their positive impacts along the river course into the lower Latrobe wetlands, such as triggering breeding events of birds, fish and wetland plants,” said Board Chair Mikaela Power.
“Over the past years, we’ve been managing environmental water through drought and fire seasons. This has laid down the groundwork to allow the environment to flourish when these natural flows come through.”
Lower Latrobe wetlands July 2021. West Gippsland CMA.
