Lake Wyangan is receiving an extra 30 megalitres a day for the next couple of weeks. Photo: Griffith City Council.
Griffith City Council has welcomed the delivery of 400 megalitres of water to Lake Wyangan North by the Griffith Local Aboriginal Land Council (GLALC).
A red alert was issued for the lake in February due to its higher than normal levels of blue-green algae – a bacteria that can produce dangerous toxins. This means the water is also unsuitable for domestic uses such as showering or washing, and contact may pose a risk to livestock and pets.
A lack of rain and low water levels were said to be among the causes of the latest alert for the lake, which has been plagued by problems for the past two decades.
The staged delivery of around 30 megalitres per day will continue until the full 400 megalitre commitment from GLALC has been reached.
The allocation comes from GLALC’s Cultural Water Access Licence entitlement, a specific right under the law designed for Aboriginal people and communities to access water for traditional, non-commercial purposes.
While the water could have been directed to other uses, the Land Council has chosen to invest it into Lake Wyangan to support environmental health and the broader benefit to the lake.
GLALC CEO Stephen Young said the decision reflected a strong commitment to caring for Country and supporting local environmental outcomes.
“Lake Wyangan is an important place for our community, culturally, environmentally and socially,” Mr Young said.
“We hold cultural water entitlements that can be used in different ways, but in this instance, we have chosen to put that water back into the lake to help restore levels and support the health of the ecosystem.
“When water levels drop, it impacts native species, birdlife and the overall condition of the lake. This contribution is about doing what we can, where we can, to look after Country.”
Griffith Mayor Councillor Doug Curran commended the decision by GLALC to contribute the water.
“Council sincerely thanks Griffith Local Aboriginal Land Council for this generous and forward-thinking commitment,” Mayor Curran said.
“To dedicate 400 megalitres of cultural water to Lake Wyangan is a significant contribution. It demonstrates genuine leadership and a deep respect for the environmental and community value of this important local asset.”
In February, Mayor Curran quashed online rumours that the town’s supply of drinking water was being sourced from Lake Wyangan.
“I have seen a few questions and comments and want to assure the community, we do not draw water from the lake for the town water supply,” he wrote on social media.
“We have done so many years ago, but we are not and have no plans to do so moving forward. If we did need to due to water constraints in the future, we would most definitely let the community know.”
Once the heartbeat of the town, Lake Wyangan has been plagued by blue-green algal outbreaks for the past 20 years, during which time it’s been largely out of bounds for recreational activity.
Griffith wetlands expert Geoff Sainty offered council a plan to fix the lake for $500,000 in 2018, but councillors voted it down at the time.
The Order of Australia medallist proposed creating a natural wetland habitat with hundreds of plants on the eastern shore of the lake. The plants would compete with the bacteria, and stop it from multiplying and becoming dominant. Shepparton Council used a similar strategy to solve algal outbreaks at Victoria Park Lake.
Mr Sainty died in 2022 and his plan has never been adopted.
