“The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action is conducting a technical assessment of the operating arrangements at Lake Eildon and the operating and infrastructure arrangements at Lake Eppalock to determine if changing the operating rules or infrastructure could improve protection for downstream communities from future flooding.
“The assessment findings are planned to be released in November this year.
The Minister for Water is acutely aware of the community's distress and concern about recent rainfall, and the anxiety and trauma that communities downstream are facing following the events of October 2022.
“The minister has been clear in her expectations that Goulburn-Murray Water regularly and proactively engage with communities and landowners in a range of ways including through direct engagement, online information, and face to face meetings such as the most recent community meeting that occurred last week at Molesworth.
“She has also made it clear that this communication must also keep communities downstream updated on how G-MW is managing Eildon, including the volume and frequency of releases that have been taking place, and that G-MW must work with any landholders who are experiencing inundation at their properties.
“The Minister for Water's office, working closely with DEECA, has also engaged directly with affected farmers since the floods, and had ongoing discussions about their concerns on the current volumes in Eildon and Eppalock as well.“
– The above was contributed by an anonymous government spokesperson in reply to a request to the Victorian Water Minister Harriett Shing.
