Water trouble: Broken Creek off Kokoda Rd, filled with blackwater. This photo was taken on February 3.
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The heavy downfalls of rain in the past few weeks have seen an increase in blackwater in Broken Creek.
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The current event started two weeks ago and was triggered by heavy rainfall, which pushed debris from local run-off into the water.
Catchment Management Authority environmental water and wetlands manager Simon Casanelia said it would be common to see dark-coloured water in the surrounding areas for the time being.
The blackwater has made its way down the river and will continue if more wet weather comes along, according to Mr Casanelia.
“The blackwater event that was generated in Boosey Creek is moving down (past) Katamatite in the lower Broken Creek and is moving downstream past Numurkah and will make its way down the system past Nathalia and then make its way down the lower Broken Creek and out into the Barmah forest,” he said.
“Being generated by these large summer rainfall events, the lower these waterways are, and if we did get additional rainfall, it could lead to additional blackwater.”
Overflowing: Boosey Creek off Barnes Rd and upstream to Katamatite, seen here on February 3, is overflowing with blackwater due to the large amount of rain in the past few weeks.
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Supplied by Catchment Management Authority
Blackwater can create lower dissolved oxygen levels, resulting in a dark colour in the water, and often impacts surrounding aquatic fauna.
About 50 fish were reported dead from a local landholder in the upper Broken Creek, with the majority of them the pesky European carp and four large Murray cod.
Additional reports of fish deaths were also made in Tungamah at Boosey Creek, according to Mr Casanelia, who said the Environmental Protection Authority had been contacted about the deaths.
The water has not entered the drinking supply or affected the water of surrounding areas and the Catchment Management Authority has been monitoring the area with the aim of eliminating the blackwater as soon as possible.
“We are doing as much as we can to reduce that risk by delivering environmental water and flowing it through to the system,” he said.
Light and dark: Katandra Weir shows the contrast between the normal colour of the creek water and the blackwater coming from Boosey Creek. This photo was taken on February 3.
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Supplied by the Catchment Management Authority
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