Lake Mokoan was an artificial lake in northern Victoria, Australia, roughly 7 km north-east of Benalla. It was created by diverting water from the Broken River and Hollands Creek into Winton and Green swamps. Construction began in the late 1960s and was completed in 1971.[1][2]
Hundreds of thousands of trees within the swamp soon died across the lake and surrounding plains, killed by the flooding of the former swampland. The large, shallow lake had a very high surface area to volume ratio, resulting in extreme water loss through evaporation, and there were frequent toxic algal blooms requiring regular closures for recreation activities and causing livestock to become ill.[3][4][5]
Although a locally popular watersports destination, the Victorian government decided to decommission the canals and lake to restore the landscape to a more natural wetland and woodland ecosystem. The restoration effort is expected to take at least 100 years.[6] Planning for the decommissioning began in 2004[7] and work started in 2009.[8] Decommissioning the lake was expected to allow the rebalancing of 44 gigalitres of water per year to the Broken, Goulburn, Snowy and Murray rivers and irrigation network, with environmental and economic benefits to both upstream and downstream areas.[9] Instead of evaporating away at Lake Mokoan, the saved water would be redirected or pumped overland from the upstream Lake Nillahcootie and Lake Eildon, 25 gigalitres of the lake would be released into the Murray River system, and another 20 gigalitres into the Snowy River.[citation needed][clarification needed]
In 2010 Lake Mokoan site was reformed into the Winton Wetlands Reserve, and managed by a Local Committee of Management. The Committee is tasked with construction of infrastructure, developing tourism and the restoration the landscape. To date, the renewal has resulted in a Visitor Centre and cafe, interpretive information signs, four campgrounds, picnic areas, public toilet blocks, 60 km of roads, bush walks, 30 km of cycling trails, and artworks celebrating the landscape and its history, have been provided. Camping at official campgrounds is available and boating, fishing is permitted. Environmental restoration is progressing, averaging 200 hectares per year, and plants regenerating and wildlife populations are increasing on the site.[10]
^"Dam open". The Canberra Times. Vol. 46, no. 12, 937. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 9 October 1971. p. 9. Retrieved 8 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia., ...The third largest reservoir in Victoria (land area, not water volume), Lake Mokoan, near Benalla, was officially opened by the Minister of Water Supply, Mr Dunstan, today...
^Goulburn-Murray Water. "Lake Mokoan". www.g-mwater.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 October 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
^Graeme O'Neill (4 December 1991). "Scientists warn on toxic algae". The Age. p. 5. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
^Sue Neales (4 January 1995). "Blue-green algae outbreak likely to be worst on record". The Age. p. 3. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
^Mokoan - return to wetland
^"MIDWEEK MAGAZINE Folly of building dams in a rush or against advice". The Canberra Times. Vol. 65, no. 20, 556. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 24 July 1991. p. 24. Retrieved 8 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^Nance Haxton (28 July 2004). "Man made lake to be released into Murray River". PM. www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
^"Lake Mokoan decommissioning delayed". ABC News. www.abc.net.au. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
^"Flow Regime Fact Sheet" (PDF). Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority. July 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2006.
^"Project Overview". Winton Wetlands. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
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