Lake Mokoan
Encyclopedia
Lake Mokoan is an artificial lake
in Victoria, Australia
. It was created in 1971 when water from Broken River
and Hollands Creek was diverted into Winton Swamp roughly 7 km from Benalla. The lake is characterized by dozens of dead trees emerging from its depths. Although a popular tourist destination, the Victorian government has decided to decommission the lake in the near future and restore the area to its original wetland state.
The lake was formed in the late 1960s on the site of the former Winton and Green Swamps, being completed in 1971. The lake has regularly suffered from serious toxic algal bloom
s since its creation. The large but shallow lake has a very high surface to volume ratio, resulting in very extensive water loss through evaporation.
Plans for decommissioning started in 2004, with work started in 2009. Decommissioning the lake is expected to allow for the return of 44,000 megalitres of water per year to the Broken, Goulburn, Snowy and Murray Rivers, with environmental and economic benefits to both upstream and downstream areas. 25 gigalitres of the lake will be released into the Murray River
system and another 20 gigalitres into the Snowy River
. Eventually the entire lake will be emptied.
The Winton Wetlands Reserve has been formed to protect the Lake Mokoan area. Reserve rules ban many recreational activities, such as camping, angling, putting up beach umbrellas, flying kites, and throwing stones.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was created in 1971 when water from Broken River
Broken River (Victoria)
The Broken River is a minor river in Victoria, Australia that is a part of the larger Murray-Darling Basin. It flows into the Goulburn River near Shepparton...
and Hollands Creek was diverted into Winton Swamp roughly 7 km from Benalla. The lake is characterized by dozens of dead trees emerging from its depths. Although a popular tourist destination, the Victorian government has decided to decommission the lake in the near future and restore the area to its original wetland state.
The lake was formed in the late 1960s on the site of the former Winton and Green Swamps, being completed in 1971. The lake has regularly suffered from serious toxic algal bloom
Algal bloom
An algal bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Algal blooms may occur in freshwater as well as marine environments. Typically, only one or a small number of phytoplankton species are involved, and some blooms may be recognized by discoloration...
s since its creation. The large but shallow lake has a very high surface to volume ratio, resulting in very extensive water loss through evaporation.
Plans for decommissioning started in 2004, with work started in 2009. Decommissioning the lake is expected to allow for the return of 44,000 megalitres of water per year to the Broken, Goulburn, Snowy and Murray Rivers, with environmental and economic benefits to both upstream and downstream areas. 25 gigalitres of the lake will be released into the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
system and another 20 gigalitres into the Snowy River
Snowy River
The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia. It originates on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mainland peak, draining the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, before flowing through the Snowy River National Park in Victoria and emptying into...
. Eventually the entire lake will be emptied.
The Winton Wetlands Reserve has been formed to protect the Lake Mokoan area. Reserve rules ban many recreational activities, such as camping, angling, putting up beach umbrellas, flying kites, and throwing stones.