Managing water levels at Lake Eppalock

Thursday 5 March, 2026

Lake Eppalock Technical Assessment options being investigated in Rochester Flood Study 

Campaspe Shire Council's Rochester Flood Study is under way.

As part of this work it is investigating suggested mitigation options which include the options identified in the Lake Eppalock Technical Assessment.

Find out more here: Rochester Flood Study 2025 Update Campaspe Shire Council

Lake Eppalock’s current state

Lake Eppalock is currently at 37.4 per cent as of 11.30am, 5 March 2026.

Lake Eppalock supply level update

Updates to daily release plans can be found under the Lake Eppalock drop down on the  Managing Water Storages webpage

How Eppalock is managed

The spillway at Lake Eppalock is a fixed crest spillway, which means GMW is unable to release more water than the capacity of outlet valve of 1,600 ML/d. During spill events, downstream flows are governed by how high the storage level exceeds the full supply level.

While GMW storages are not specifically for flood mitigation, Lake Eppalock does still partially mitigate downstream flows by storing water above the full supply level and water passing over the spillway.

Lake Eppalock operating arrangements assessment

Following the October 2022 floods, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) commissioned a technical assessment into the operating arrangements at Lake Eppalock.

A summary of this assessment can be found on the DEECA website

GMW’s responsibilities

The requirements for GMW to manage its storages are set out in the Victorian Water Act.

More information

For more information visit www.gmwater.com.au/managing-storagesor phone GMW on 1800 013 357. 

Current releases are meeting normal operating requirements, including delivery of environmental water.

 

While GMW storages are not specifically for flood mitigation, Lake Eppalock does provide some flood mitigation by storing water above the full supply level and water passing over the spillway.

For more information on how the October 2022 floods occurred across the Campaspe River, visit Floods in Focus: Campaspe River System 

Flow and release rates for the Campaspe River system

GMW has created a simple dashboard overview of flow and release rates for the Campaspe River system from Lake Eppalock to Rochester since October 2022.

The inflow rate at the storage includes flows from tributaries upstream of Lake Eppalock, such as the Coliban and Upper Campaspe rivers and McIvor and Wild Duck creeks.

As well as releases from Lake Eppalock, inflows from Mount Pleasant, Forest and Axe creeks contribute to flow rates along the Campaspe River downstream of the storage and Rochester. 

Click the button below to be taken to the dashboard.

Campaspe River system flow and release rates dashboard

The spillway at Lake Eppalock is a fixed crest spillway, which means GMW is unable to release more water than the capacity of outlet valve of 1,600 ML/d. During spill events, downstream flows are governed by how high the storage level exceeds the full supply level.