Snowy Catchment - You Are Here - Orbost, Vic, Australia - 'You Are Here' Maps on Waymarking.com

This Interpretative Sign is titles, "Understanding the Snowy Catchment". It is right beside the East Gippsland Rail Trail and the Snowy River.

It also has a map of the East Gippsland region, including details of the neighbouring New South Wales, as that is where the Snowy River starts.

The left-hand side of the sign has:

The Upper Catchment - the dam
At present (2001), 99% of the upper catchment's natural flow is held in the Jindabyne Dam as part of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme. Since 1957 the dam has reduced the Snowy's flow. Water that is needed to provide the Snowy River with 'environment flow' is diverted to the western side of the Great Dividing Range. It is then used by irrigators in the Murray-Darling Basin.
The regular spring snow melts of the Snowy Mountains are important. Sediment and salt-water were once regularly flushed from the river maintaining its environmental health.

The Lower Catchment - the 'salt wedge'<br? The Snowy River entrance at Marlo is sometimes closed. As the river continues to flow a 'salt wedge' travelling underneath the fresh water can sometimes reach Orbost. When the Snowy flow is low and the entrance is open the tide can also bring salt water 10 km up the Snowy. At these times water cannot be used for irrigation.
The river currently discharges only around half the annual flow it did before the Jindabyne Dam was built. The Local community is now lobbying governments to increase the environmental flow of the Snowy River."

Visited: 1216, Saturday, 14 May, 2016

Location Name: Understanding the Snowy Catchment, Orbost

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A photo of either you or your GPS at the site is welcomed but not required.

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