The lake is currently 260 millimetres below full, due to high winds causing substantial evaporation.

Ballarat mayor Cr Mark Harris said the lake would be topped up before the centenary rowing event using back-up water supplies from both the Ballarat North Waste Treatment Plant and possibly Paul’s Wetland.

Cr Harris said $50,000 was budgeted annually for measures designed to keep the lake water levels up.

“It’s not a big issue,” Cr Harris said.

“We have a back-up supply of potable water. We have made provisions.”

Central Highlands Water spokeswoman Nicky McMaster said the Lake Wendouree Water Supply Project was turned on in August 2009.

She said it was a joint project between the state government, Ballarat City Council and Central Highlands Water.

“As part of this project CHW provides an annual supply of Class A-plus treated re-use water to the City of Ballarat to use as a supplementary water resource for the lake,” Ms McMaster said.

“This supply is delivered to the lake on request from the City of Ballarat.”

“C HW is currently pumping water to Lake Wendouree via the 3.5-kilometre pipeline to supplement current water levels.”

The council is also purchasing a $480,000 lake weed harvester to use for periodic maintenance works.

A tender has been awarded to Aquatic Harvester Manufacturing and Sales, which will provide an integrated harvester and waste compactor truck that ca n be operated by just one person.

Cr Harris said lake weed played an important part in maintaining a healthy, living lake.

“Lake weed is essential for the ecological health of the precinct as a whole, including the prevention of blue-green algae, so it’s important that we get the balance correct,” Cr Harris said.

“Council’s contracts committee has agreed that the best option would be to purchase our own machinery that could be used whenever we need.”