Water savings from willow removal

Removing willows growing in the stream bed of creeks and rivers could return valuable water resources to river systems, new CSIRO research funded by Water for Rivers has found. This work has also highlighted the linkage between catchment river management, and the need to take into account effective environmental works and measures, which can provide positive water efficiency benefits.

A study into the water use of willows found more than five and a half megalitres of water could potentially be saved annually per hectare of willow canopy area removed from in-stream trees with permanent access to water.

It has been estimated that with an estimated 170 hectares of in-stream willows permanently removed from rivers in northeast Victoria, and a further 50 hectares removed in the Yanco Creek, Murrumbidgee, Yass and Murray rivers, 1200 megalitres of channel water per year has been returned to the rivers system that was previously lost to willow evapotranspiration.

Willow removal programs have been in place in south eastern Australia for many years with removal commencing in the upper Snowy and the East Gippsland and lower Snowy area around 1999 with an aim to improve water quality, reduce willow roots obstructing water ways, and to improve flows.

Further information on the study can be found at: http://www.csiro.au/files/files/pgwk.pdf