Rochester-Campaspe
Supply System
Some 1,290 customers are serviced in this Area via some 664 km of distribution channels and 476 km of drains.
The major sources of water supply are Lake Eildon and Lake Eppalock with supplementary supplies taken from Greens Lake.
Water Right in the Area totals 187,396 megalitres in the Rochester Area and 20,202 megalitres in the Campaspe Irrigation District.
Statistics
Rochester Irrigation Area - Total Area = 107,750 Ha, Irrigated Area = 61,700 Ha
Campaspe Irrigation Area - Total Area = 9,300 Ha, Irrigated Area = 5,010 Ha
Following its release from Lake Eildon, the water makes a two day journey along the Goulburn River to the major diversion point at the Goulburn Weir near Nagambie. Water is diverted into the Cattanach Canal which delivers water to Waranga Basin from which it is released into the Waranga Western Channel for the long journey (100 km) across northern Victoria. Supplements may be added from either Greens Lake or the Campaspe River via pumping stations if required.
For Campaspe Irrigation District customers, water is released into the Campaspe River from Lake Eppalock taking three days to reach Campaspe Weir where it is diverted into the Campaspe east and west channels.
Irrigated Agriculture
A range of irrigated agriculture can be found in the Rochester-Campaspe Area with dairying being the major enterprise. There is also a large percentage of tomato crops grown in the Rochester-Campaspe Area, with other mixed farming such as summer cropping and sheep and cattle grazing.
Water Ordering
For Rochester-Campaspe Area telephone: (03) 5484 0444
Planners in the Rochester office co-ordinate the delivery of water orders placed on Goulburn-Murray Water's telephone ordering system (known as WaterLINE).
Four days' notice is required from irrigators when ordering water and, to avoid channel fluctuations, orders are planned on the basis that one irrigator's finish time is another's start time.
Due to capacity constraints on the channel system, some irrigators can sometimes experience delays in supply and rationing may be introduced in extreme situations.
Environmental Issues
Salinity - a number of groundwater pumps have been installed in the Campaspe District as part of the Salinity Management Plan in an endeavour to control rising groundwater, which in turn is causing salinity problems in the District. There has been investigation of problem areas within the Rochester-Campaspe Area with some pumps being installed.
Water quality and nutrients - a strategy has been developed for the Campaspe catchment with the long term objective of improving the quality of water reaching the River Murray.
Water Services Committee
There are ten elected irrigators who meet monthly and bring together a broad range of experiences and expertise. The committee aims to achieve through local management, the broad business objectives set by the Board of Goulburn-Murray Water.
Customer participation in establishing customer service levels is encouraged. The continued development of the Customer Service Agreement will enable the Area to provide agreed services and service standards at lowest cost.
