Peter Shute asked: There have been works going on at Werribee Treatment Plant
in the Western Lagoons/Spit area for the last few months. When I had a look
last Saturday, they had carved several wide channels through the west end of
the Spit road. Does anyone know what their plan is there? Are they intending
to make the Western lagoons tidal?
The answer is yes, Melbourne Water has an ambitious plan to create new habitats
in the Western Lagoons which are now redundant as sewage treatment ponds. The
plan is to return some of the westernmost lagoons to tidal influence in an
attempt to create new saltmarsh habitat, principally for the Orange-bellied
Parrot. The water levels in other lagoons will be managed to provided
alternative feeding areas for shorebirds, and the remainder for waterfowl and
the threatened Growling Grass Frog. There will also be a shallow freshwater
marsh in the paddock immediately inland of the lagoons, north of the gate.
These plans were developed in consultation with the WTP Biodiversity
Conservation Advisory Committee, which is chaired by John Barkla. Various
consultants have also contributed, notably the saltmarsh ecology specialists
Ecology Australia.
Watch this exciting project develop over the next few years. And yes, the road
along the seaward edge of the Western Lagoons will be re-opened in due course.
Peter Menkhorst
==============================www.birding-aus.org
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