GRIFFITH farmers are concerned a solution to Lake Wyangan’s water quality issues is off the cards if agricultural run-off continues to inundate the city’s water drainage systems.
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The concerns come after council released the Lake Wyangan and Catchment Management Strategy and called on the community to ‘review the documents and provide feedback’.
Cattle farmer Kel Williams believes council will struggle to adopt a strong management system due to continual agricultural run-off leading into drainage systems, which feed into the lake.
Mr Williams said agricultural run-off from irrigation farmland, north of the lake is providing nutrients and could be contributing to a blue green algae increase.
"I don't believe council can minimise the blue green algae issue because agricultural run-off will continue to feed into the drainage systems, which feed into the lake,” Mr Williams said.
"Farmers spread cow or chicken manure on the ground and on their crop and the problem is when it rains a portion of that manure runs into the lake's drainage system and that's seeing more nutrients end up in the lake.”
Mr Williams has called on Murrumbidgee Irrigation (MI) to ensure irrigation run-off is monitored before being allowed to be released in to the drainage systems.
MI CEO Brett Jones said he understands the importance of Lake Wyangan to the community, and the impact of blue-green algae on the use of the Lake.
Mr Jones’ was asked how expanded irrigation areas north of the lake has impacted the quality of water.
“MI has been, and is continuing to work together with Griffith City Council, funding the Lake Wyangan and Catchment Management study,” he said.
“We believe the best outcomes can be achieved through a collaborative approach.”