How to make a drain disappear! – Brady Swamp works update

Posted at 18 Apr 2015 at 00:17h in News, Brady Swamp Restoration Trial by
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It has been a hectic time for NGT in the upper Wannon River catchment, with Adam busy coordinating the permanent restoration works for Brady Swamp that are well underway, thanks to the support of the Victorian Government (Living Victoria Fund), Parks Victoria and local private landholders.

This is wetland restoration at its best – complete back-filling of a major drain that was constructed parallel to the Wannon River around 60 years ago. In the process we are permanently reinstating the hydrology of Brady Swamp and enabling the Wannon River to function naturally, when swamp levels are high enough, flowing down its original course. This work capitalises on the successful restoration trial structure that the local community helped us get in place last year.

It is going to be great to share the images of Brady Swamp as it fills this coming winter and spring – let’s hope we have a good season coming up…

PS – In some of the images below, it is actually hard to believe you are looking at the same spot!

BEFORE: The trial structure, looking upstream towards Brady Swamp in November 2014
AFTER – April 2015
BEFORE: The trial structure, looking downstream in November 2014
AFTER: April 2015
BEFORE: The beginning of the drain, with Brady Swamp in the background – November 2014
AFTER: April 2015
BEFORE: Looking upstream towards Brady Swamp – November 2014
AFTER – April 2015
BEFORE – Looking downstream through the deepest section – November 2014
AFTER – April 2015
BEFORE – looking downstream – March 2015
AFTER – April 2015
BEFORE – The beginning of the drain – September 2014
AFTER – What drain? – April 2015
What it is all about… sustainable hydrology of Brady Swamp. This image is from November 2014. (photo by Adam Miller)
Mark Bachmann