Heavy rain has seen Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree ‘fill and spill’ for the first time in nearly a decade.

The lake is currently 75mm above full – this water will gradually be released - ‘spill’ - into the Yarrowee River via the overflow outlet on the eastern shore of the Lake.

The Lake reached capacity late on Thursday (13 January) afternoon and began to ‘spill’ via the overflow outlet shortly after.

This water traditionally provides a valuable environmental flow to  the Yarrowee River.

Filling and spilling is considered important environmentally for the Lake and will help ensure its water quality.

Stormwater diversions from the Redan and Paul’s Wetlands were turned off earlier in the week.

The last time the Lake ‘spilled’ was in 2002.