phosphorus concentration all would be considered eutrophic.
It is the nitrogen rather than phosphorus that is
considered the limiting plant nutrient (DE DECKKER &
WILLIAMS 1988).
Monitoring water quality of lakes has become a high
priority for the determination of current conditions and
long-term trends for effective management. Although
detailed limnological work in the past has been conducted
on the saline lakes of western Victoria (BAYLY &
WILLIAMS 1966; MADDOCKS 1967; EPA 1976; HAMMER
1981; DE DECKKER & WILLIAMS 1988; WILLIAMS 1992),
there has been no recent limnological work on these
lakes. There is a lack of data on the lakes considered in
the present study (Lake Colac, Modewarre, Bolac and
Tooliorook) with only one reference to the study lakes in
MADDOCKS (1967), and to Lake Colac is referred in
SMITH (1972) and EPA (1976). The aim of this paper is
to document the major physico-chemical parameters of
the four permanent, shallow and slightly saline lakes in
western Victoria and to determine seasonal changes if
any in these parameters. This paper will also draw comparisons
between the present study lakes and those of
other saline lakes in the region.