Brou Lake opened after rains: Photos, video

NPWS ranger in charge of Eurobodalla National Park, Tristan Ricketson said the lake began flooding over the road to the campground and also over some access points to private property, and so the decision was made to artificially open the lake.

Whittakers Creek had also been getting very high that passers-by on the Princes Highway may have noticed prior to the opening.

He was pleased with the opening and significant flushing the lake had received after the opening.

Opening the lake directly after the rain when the water was mixed up was also good, as if the lake was opened when the water was in layers, that could lead to only oxygenated water on the surface escaping, which was not good for the remaining fish life.

Brou Lake was one the lakes that closed regularly and before the opening there was a sandbank of between 50cm and 1m blocking in the lake. The lake was last opened in March 2012.

Narooma contractor John Gauslaa and his excavator were called in to cut the channel.

Ricketson said a couple of professional fishermen watching the opening said if the lake stayed open for a few weeks or months, that would be good for the recruitment of prawns and other fish species into the lake.

There could even be good prawn fishing as soon as Christmas.

Keen recreational fisherman Max Favelle just happened to be down at the lake when he noticed the activity by National Parks rangers.

He said the lake had been fishing very well for big black bream, and while this fishing is over for a while, the prospect of good prawning was good news, while the fishing off the beach in front of the lake should also improve once the flushed out ribbon weed had dissipated.

Click here to see our coverage of Corunna Lake being opened