DESPITE impressive rainfalls in the district over recent weeks, locals have raised grave concerns over the lack of water flowing into Casterton’s iconic Ess Lagoon.

‘The Essla’, which has been a swimming and fishing venue for generations, hit ‘dead water’ level earlier this month and while the weekend’s deluge saw some run-off flow in, Brian Murrell and Damian Gill believe more water from the town’s storm water system, could be directed into the water hole.

“Once you get a big downpour, there’s a massive shedding of water down McEvoy Street from Goodman Park, in great torrents,” Mr Murrell said.

“Plus you’ve got the Mitchell Street stormwater where the drain overflows because it can’t handle all the water and that overflows into the paddock below Leake Street.

“All of that water is directed past the polocrosse ground, past the Essla and into the Island Park Lagoons; they filled up in just one weekend and when they hit full, the water overflows into a drain which goes straight into the river and out to sea.

“At the moment, the Essla relies on paddocks at the top end of the lagoon to fill and overflow, then fill dammed areas to overflow, before it gets into the lagoon; that hasn’t happened for a year.”

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