The federal government has confirmed $132 million in funding to deliver the Broken Reconfiguration Project, with the goal to reconfigure the river system to support reduced water availability in the future.
The Broken River, a minor inland perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment and part of the Murray–Darling basin, begins in the shire.
Its headwaters rise in the western slopes of the Victorian Alps, near Bald Hill not far from Woods Point.
Flowing generally west, then north, then west again, passing through or adjacent to Benalla and Shepparton–Mooroopna, the river is joined by ten minor tributaries, before reaching its confluence with the Goulburn River near Shepparton.
Impounded by the Nillahcootie Dam to create Lake Nillahcootie and Benalla Dam to create Lake Benalla, the river charts a 225-kilometre course and descends 1070 metres making it the fastest flowing river in Australia when at maximum capacity.
Latest Stories
Reconfiguration of the river focuses on the region between Benalla and Shepparton, with amongst other initiatives the removal of Gowangardie Weir.
The reconfiguration project is a community-driven initiative, with all reconfiguration options evaluated according to strict criteria.
Criteria included the ability to achieve multiple benefits, deliver real and tangible change, ensure the region was future-ready, along with being acceptable to communities reliant on and surrounding the system, and providing value for money.
A project steering group led by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and Goulburn Murray Water, with representatives from the Goulburn-Broken Catchment Management Authority, Victorian Environmental Water Holder, the Victorian Farmers Federation, the Benalla Rural City and the Greater Shepparton City Councils, along with seven entitlement holders determined how best to manage the river system going forward with declining inflows in an increasingly drying climate.
As an example, inflows to Lake Nillahcootie have declined since 2004 to 2005 by 42 per cent from the historic average.
These reductions have significantly impacted water availability to entitlement holders, as well as the amount of flow through the catchment.
The group undertook an extensive investigation into various aspects of the system, including historical and recent inflows, operational and management rules, different water products, as well as the system’s functionality and sustainability.
This review was then used to inform the Broken Reconfiguration Project.
Victorian Farmers Federation Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said the VFF has a long history of working with communities along the Broken system and is pleased this project, highlighted in the Victorian Government’s Planning Our Basin Future Together prospectus, can progress.
“VFF members have worked tirelessly for many years to improve water reliability on the Broken system, as well as to secure improved stock and domestic supply,” Mr Leahy said.
“This project is a direct result of years of grassroots advocacy and it’s fantastic to see that hard work finally being recognised and realised.”
