The Snowy River is a vital water resource that supports the region’s environmental, social and cultural values. Maintaining the river’s health through environmental releases and ongoing monitoring is essential.
The East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) continues to work closely with the community and Government agencies to improve the flow and health of the Snowy River.
As part of the program, we are undertaking monitoring for assessing changes in estuarine vegetation over time, tracking fish presence, abundance and evidence of breeding events, evaluating the condition and availability of important fish habitat such as refuge pools, and undertaking ongoing monitoring of the estuary mouth.
“A trial conducted during late summer and autumn of 2025 monitored the estuary mouth in response to varying environmental water release volumes over specified time intervals,” said Bec Hemming, East Gippsland CMA’s CEO.
“The monitoring captured changes in the estuary entrance in response to flow and other drivers, such as wave conditions. This provided valuable insights into how the estuary responds to these influences.”
Remote solar-powered cameras have been installed at four locations across East Gippsland to capture daily images of estuary mouths, including one at Marlo. They provide the ability to record and track changes in estuary conditions which can be further analysed in conjunction with historical records, to understand long term trends.
At a recent community event, the Snowy Advisory Committee and the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) presented an overview of environmental water delivery to the Snowy River, along with updates on recent monitoring of frogs and platypus in the NSW reach and the utilisation of eDNA sampling in the upper catchment.
Snowy Hydro Limited also provided an overview of its operations and a summary of the Annual Water Operations Plan, including Trigger Flows delivered in 2025-26 and those planned for 2026-27.
“Together, these efforts reflect a strong commitment to protecting the long-term health of the Snowy River and ensuring it continues to support the communities, flora and fauna, and cultural values that depend on it,” added Bec. The trials were funded by the Victorian Government as part of its commitment to protecting and restoring Victoria’s waterways and catchments.
