MORE than 300km of Goulburn-Murray Water channels are set to be cleared of aquatic weeds this winter as part of GMW’s $10 million Winter Works Program.
About 100km of channel have already been cleared of weeds.
Environmental maintenance co-ordinator Dannielle McMillan said GMW was hoping to continue the success of last year’s treatment.
“Last year was a landmark year for us in terms of weed treatment,” she said.
“After successful trials using a herbicide with very low toxicity to fish life, we were able to treat more than 230km of channel for aquatic weeds such as hornwort, sagittaria, ribbon weed and egeria.”
From May to August, GMW is in an irrigation shutdown period, which allows more effective works.
GMW can also spread herbicide more easily across the treatment area.
Aquatic weeds are usually treated while a section of a channel is dewatered.
But when the channels are difficult for workers to access, they rely on a process called flowing injection.
This involves disepring herbicide from a regulator, allowing it to flow down the channels and spread.
Ms McMillan said that due to the positive impact of previous treatments, this year’s treatment area was set to be even larger.
“Last irrigation season, we saw the benefits of this, with flow rates improving in many of the channels we had treated.
“We are subsequently looking to undertake an even more extensive weed treatment program this year, with about 300km of channel identified for treatment.”
GMW says submerged weeds reduce the ability to deliver water to customers, due to the affect that silting can have on flow.
The weeds can increase pollution and particulate matter, which can affect GMW’s automatic water regulators.
For more information on the weed treatment program and GMW’s Winter Works, visit the GMW website.
