Native plants being grown near Broken Hill will soon have a consistent water source to help provide favourable year-round conditions.
Key points:
- Work is underway to lay piping around the Imperial Lakes Nature Park
- The water will only be used to irrigate the park
- A pipeline will transfer effluent water from the local sewerage plant
Imperial Lakes Nature Park is being restored by Landcare Broken Hill after previously being owned by Essential Water.
Landcare president Simon Molesworth KC says the rejuvenation project is still in its early stages.
"[While] a lot's been done, the really big things are going to have to wait until we land the really big dollars," he said.
"But meanwhile, we've got a precious piece of nature [and] Broken Hill environment that needs to be looked after."
On-site water not an option
The return of dryer conditions after three years of La Nina has left the western lake in constant flux, on-site ranger Dave Elston said.
"I think it's been full and dried probably three times since I've been here," he said.
"[Meanwhile] the eastern lake is a permanent lake system. We need to keep it full because of the fish and turtles that exist in there.
"We don't want to pump from that source if we can help it."
The Imperial Lakes were once connected to Broken Hill's main water supply through layers of pressurised pipework, but have been disconnected for years.
The reconnection cost was beyond Landcare's annual budget, however, a $6,000 boost from the Broken Hill City Council through its community assistance grant program has secured the necessary funds.
Preliminary groundwork underway
Landcare has since hit the ground running, with Mr Elston and a couple of volunteers beginning to dig a trench for pressurised pipes to connect to the main this week.
He says it's unknown how long it will take Essential Water to make the connection but is optimistic there will be a water supply at the park by the end of winter and the group will be able to start planting native vegetation.
"It's a lot bigger than what's normally done but that's what excites me because we'll have pressure to run water anywhere on this property that we need," Mr Elston said.
"We've got an [annual] rainfall of 225 [millimetres] in which the natural species grow quite well, but if we can add just a bit of water, we're mimicking a good season every year.
"We have the ability to keep species not only alive and doing well but thriving as an educational tool and an example of what grows in the Broken Hill outback."
Mr Molesworth says the pipeline will transfer effluent water from the local sewerage plant and is, therefore, not to be used by park visitors for drinking or washing.