Winton wetlands Dec 2017 54
`The flooding of the Winton (Mokoan) Swamp in 1971 to create Lake Mokoan was broadly welcomed for the economic and recreational values that it promised. It created a very large water storage that irrigated thousands of hectares of agriculture, adding $10-$15 million to the local economy each year. It was one of the best Murray Cod and Golden Perch fisheries in Victoria. It was also used for hunting and sailing. At the same time the new reservoir inundated around 7,000 Ha of agricultural land, ancient forests and beautiful and unique wetlands. The flooding killed around 150,000 river red gums including many Aboriginal scar trees that still stand today, having re-emerged from the lake as dead stags but still retaining their scarring and their stories..
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Over a run of dry years, Lake Mokoan sometimes dried out completely and at other times was subject to blue-green algal breakouts. Water managers seeking ways to save water in the Murray-Darling system noted that the large and shallow water body was losing far more water through evaporation than it contributed to agriculture, and raised the question of its decommissioning. This met with strong local opposition from irrigators and recreational users of the Lake. After a great deal of protest and community anguish, the lake was decommissioned and drained in 2010. Water that would otherwise have been stored in Lake Mokoan was diverted to achieve ecological flows for the Snowy River and other rivers. ' web
Winton wetlands Dec 2017 54
`The flooding of the Winton (Mokoan) Swamp in 1971 to create Lake Mokoan was broadly welcomed for the economic and recreational values that it promised. It created a very large water storage that irrigated thousands of hectares of agriculture, adding $10-$15 million to the local economy each year. It was one of the best Murray Cod and Golden Perch fisheries in Victoria. It was also used for hunting and sailing. At the same time the new reservoir inundated around 7,000 Ha of agricultural land, ancient forests and beautiful and unique wetlands. The flooding killed around 150,000 river red gums including many Aboriginal scar trees that still stand today, having re-emerged from the lake as dead stags but still retaining their scarring and their stories..
.
Over a run of dry years, Lake Mokoan sometimes dried out completely and at other times was subject to blue-green algal breakouts. Water managers seeking ways to save water in the Murray-Darling system noted that the large and shallow water body was losing far more water through evaporation than it contributed to agriculture, and raised the question of its decommissioning. This met with strong local opposition from irrigators and recreational users of the Lake. After a great deal of protest and community anguish, the lake was decommissioned and drained in 2010. Water that would otherwise have been stored in Lake Mokoan was diverted to achieve ecological flows for the Snowy River and other rivers. ' web