A big flood is fantastic for the Lachlan's birds and fishes.By Adam Kerezsy, Lake Cargelligo LandcareAs the rain keeps coming and the river keeps rising, the novelty of the super-wet spring of 2022 is wearing off. Harvests will be difficult to say the least, and the condition of many roads means that even moving stock - or even from getting from one town to another - has to be planned carefully.
However, there's a silver lining, because it is necessary and hugely beneficial for the river and all the plants and animals that have been here for far longer than any humans have.
A lot of my biological work is for the University of Canberra's Flow MER monitoring program or other studies sponsored by government agencies and other groups. All are aimed at improving our knowledge of the Lachlan so that it can be managed appropriately into the future. And the early signs from late 2022 indicate that prolonged flooding is having a definite - and positive - impact.
Last week, with Mal Carnegie from the Lake Cowal Foundation, I continued a sampling program begun by NSW DPE last year when we realised just how many pelicans were nesting at Lake Brewster. To our surprise, Mal and I found that many thousands of birds had already returned to Brewster for a second massed breeding event, and that many were already sitting on eggs.
Another example is the large numbers of fish - particularly yellowbelly - that are present. It's no surprise that over the last couple of weeks - as the weather has warmed up - these fish are on the move to undertake spawning. Keen fisherpeople have also observed yellowbelly formed spawning groups on the surface - a sure sign that another generation of these impressive fish is on the way.
So - yes - the big flood of late 2022-early 2023 will definitely be inconvenient, but if we could ask a pelican or yellowbelly I'm sure they'd have a different opinion.
Article Attrition: Hillston Invanhoe Spectator, Adam Kerezsy#CoastWaterways