A number of submissions to the public inquiry into Victoria's flood have exposed a large amount of issues in relation to flood responses and the after-effects of the disaster in regional communities.
Since a call out was made this past week, 56 submissions have been received so far ahead of public inquiries to be held later this year, critical of flood mitigation responses and a lack of river bank repairs.
The North East River Alliance, who represent 13 river frontage landholders between Markwood and Tarrawingee on the Ovens River region criticised the North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA) for not rectifying engineering errors on repair work to the Ovens River bank.
"NECMA's single minded commitment to block flows to the natural anabranch Deep Creek, benefiting northern bank landholders and lack of appropriate maintenance of the Ovens River in this section have caused southern bank properties unacceptable severe flooding and access impacts," their submission said.
Alexandra aquaculture business Goulburn River Trout recommended a better approach to the management of Lake Eildon in their submission by calling on Goulburn Murray Water (GMW) to hold the level in the lake at lower than 95 per cent.
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Goulburn Trout director Edward Meggitt said the cost of October floods "to our business will be at least $2 million".
It also outlined how on October 13, tributaries above and below Lake Eildon, at 98 per cent capacity were running at full channel and some were spilling.
"In the 48 hours of 13 and 14 October, we got 99 millimetres of rain on the farm - there would have been much more in the mountains to our east which is the catchment for Eildon," the submission said
"GMW on [October 13] reduced the release from Eildon 'to allow the tributaries below Eildon to get away, before they anticipated having to increase the release from the Lake' - they wanted to reduce the flood pulse."
By the late afternoon, the release went up through minor, then moderate to major levels eventually hitting 38,000 megalitres.
"The rate of increased release was savage and caught many people unaware, especially as the increased releases took place at night," the submission said.
"The tributaries below the Lake were also pumping in, causing grief to farmers and towns downstream of us."
The business has called for an investigation into carryover mechanisms and adopting a conservative 'infill-curve' to reduce the chance of a full lake in winter and spring.
GMW Water Storage Services general manager Martina Cusack had previously said the organisation was closely monitoring Lake Eildon's levels and catchment conditions.
Another submission to the inquiry from Rochester vet Zaw Htut said he is contemplating leaving the town if there are no plans to further mitigate flood damage in the region.
"We service a large area around the region and have clients that come all the way from Moama NSW, pass a few other veterinary clinics, to have their pets seen," Mr Htut's submission said.
"It is sad to see what the recent flood has done to our town.
"Most of the houses in town, including ours, are currently inhabitable."
The inquiry will hold public hearings in Rochester, Echuca, Shepparton, Seymour and Melbourne in August and July, but has not announced hearings in other flood affected areas like Kerang or Carisbrook.
