Fishing & Aquaculture

		Angling Waters of the Kiewa River Basin
			KIEWA RIVER BASIN MAP (PDF 125Kb)
			CLOVER DAM
			GUY LAKE
			KIEWA RIVER
			MOUNTAIN CREEK
			MOUNT BEAUTY PONDAGE
			MURRAY RIVER (NSW)
			PRETTY VALLEY CREEK
			PRETTY VALLEY PONDAGE
			ROCKY VALLEY STORAGE
			SUMPTION GARDEN
			YACKANDANDAH CREEK
			BROWN TROUT HABITAT

A Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria
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Kiewa River Basin 2
MANAGEMENT | DIVERSIONS | HERITAGE | FISH STOCKING | BEST FISHING WATERS | THREATENED FISH | ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS | BROWN TROUT HABITAT

Kiewa River

The hills along the sides of the Basin are densely forested. Most of the Basin receives over 700mm mean annual rainfall with higher falls to 2,430mm on the Bogong High Plains. Snow falls above 1,400m. Highest river flows are during August to October with only 7% of annual flow occurring during January to March. However the natural flow regime of the lower Kiewa River has been modified by hydroelectric generation.

Rocky Valley Storage is the largest and the main storage of this hydroelectric scheme with two power stations on the east branch and one on the west branch. All water eventually reaches the lower Kiewa River some via a regulating storage, Mount. Beauty Pondage.

Management

Fisheries Victoria, DPI, manages stocking and fisheries policy. Northern Fisheries, DPI, manages compliance with fisheries regulations and angler contact. The Victorian Inland Fisheries Strategy has listed Mount Beauty Pondage and the lower Kiewa River as mixed species fisheries. Junction Dam, the upper Kiewa River (Mount Beauty Pondage to Dederang), Pretty Valley Reservoir and Rocky Valley Storage have been assessed as salmonid waters.

The North East Catchment Management Authority is responsible for catchment management. The Goulburn-Murray Water Authority manages irrigation and rural diversion. The North East Region Water Authority manages urban demands. Streamflow Management Plans have been developed for the Kiewa River and should be operating late in 2002.

Diversions

Water from the Kiewa River is pumped to Baranduda, Bandiana, Kiewa and Tangambalanga. From Nine Mile Creek into Lake Kerford (800ML) and then to Beechworth (in Basin 3). From Nine Mile Creek to Yackandandah. From Simmonds Creek and the West Kiewa River into Mount Beauty. From Rocky Valley Creek into Rocky Valley Storage (28,400ML) then to Mount Beauty township. From Wodonga Creek to Wodonga.

Heritage River Areas, Natural Catchment Areas and Representative Rivers

None in this Basin

Ramsar Sites

None in this Basin

Fish Stocking

The Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) fish stocking program is designed to enhance recreational fishing opportunities for:

• Desirable introduced species such as brown trout, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and Atlantic salmon, and
• Desirable native fish species such as golden perch, Murray cod, Australian bass and silver perch.

Stocking Plans for desirable species are developed annually as part of the regional consultation process involving VRFish representatives and various arms of DPI including Fisheries Victoria and Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic).

Up to date information can be found on the Fish Stocking section in Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Best Fishing Waters

Freshwater Fish in the Basin

The Murray spiny crayfish, Euastacus armatus, is also present in the Basin. There have been few surveys carried out except in the Kiewa River below Mt. Beauty Pondage. However it appears that the introduced brown trout and rainbow trout are the predominant fish species with perhaps blackfish being the most numerous native fish. Murray cod are restricted to the lower reaches of the Kiewa River possibly because of the cool water released from the Pondage. Carp are also restricted downstream preferring to remain in areas of slower-water and sand and mud substrate.

Threatened Fish Species

The Department of Sustainability and Environment has listed Murray cod as Endangered and Murray cod have also been listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 along with the Murray spiny crayfish and the Lowland Riverine Fish Community of the Southern Murray-Darling Basin.

Environmental Condition of Waterways

Fifty percent of the Basin is forested or with alpine vegetation and waterways in these areas are in good to excellent environmental condition. This includes all rivers upstream of Mount Beauty. The Kiewa River downstream of Mount Beauty is considered by the Department to be in moderate condition because of mostly exotic riparian vegetation, but instream water conditions and fish habitat are excellent. The river condition deteriorates near Wodonga because of sedimentation. Yackandandah Creek is generally in poor condition in its lower reaches, from loss of bank vegetation, bank erosion, and sedimentation.

© The State of Victoria