Permanently reinstating the Duck Pond – another wetland restoration success story in the southern Grampians
If you enjoyed last week’s before and after images of our recent back filling of the drain from Brady Swamp, then you’re in for another treat.
This week, the next floodplain on the Wannon River downstream of Brady Swamp – the Duck Pond – is our feature wetland that has now also been permanently restored by NGT as a result of the same project. Thanks again to the Victorian Government, Living Victoria Fund, for providing grant funding, and the crucial support of landholders Judy and Vanne Trompf and their neighbours.
This small private swamp appears to have been drained in the 1950s as ‘collateral damage’ when Brady Swamp was drained, being situated en route for the drain from Brady Swamp before it rejoins the Wannon River further downstream. Like both Brady Swamp and Gooseneck Swamp upstream, the Duck Pond is actually a low lying part of the Wannon River floodplain, that can now receive natural river flows and not have its depth and duration of inundation cut short once inflows cease – as had been the case for the past 60 years. This will be another very interesting site to watch this winter…
Anyway, enough from me – I will let the images speak for themselves!
(Please click to enlarge and watch the slide show)
BEFORE: September 2014 – Image of the drain looking towards the Duck Pond
AFTER: April 2015
BEFORE: September 2014 – Looking towards the Duck Pond from further down the drain
AFTER: April 2015
BEFORE: September 2014 – Looking downstream towards the end of the drain where it previously rejoined the Wannon River
AFTER: April 2015
BEFORE: September 2014 – Looking across the drain to the Wannon River floodplain
AFTER: April 2015
BEFORE: September 2014 – Looking towards the Duck Pond (the area of water in the distance)
AFTER: April 2015 – just a bit of a spoil missing in the foreground of this image…
BEFORE: September 2014 – Looking down the drain from closer to the Duck Pond
AFTER: April 2015 – A drain no more…!
Another critical wetland in the southern Grampians – the Duck Pond (as it appeared in November 2014) – is about to receive a boost, with its natural sill level (and hence hydrological regime) reinstated in time for the coming winter!
