At Lake Cargelligo, local youth group "Down the Track" helps with ecological monitoring of the big lake and the islands within it by camping out at least four times each year.

The latest camp was held in February with monitoring overseen by local biologist (and Landcare co-ordinator) Adam Kerezsy, and local farmer (and chair of the not-for-profit Cargelligo Wetlands and Lakes Council) Peter Skipworth.

According to a "Down the Track" report, Mr Kerezsy and Mr Skipworth always try to get extra experts along to share the fun, with this task recently falling to Thomas Munro, an ecologist with the Biodiversity Conservation Trust. Mr Munro made the long trek across from Dubbo and showed the trackers how to identify plants using maps, books and identification keys.

The Lachlan Monitoring, Evaluation and Research team said these weekends are a perfect way to engage young adults, as they involve practical experience within their local natural environment as well as an active demonstration of the importance of a functioning river ecosystem.

Participants get a first-hand look at what ecologists do and why they do it, and realise why catchments need environmental water.

"Down The Track" weekends are also a great way for current scientists and academics to become actively involved in training the next generation of freshwater ecologists, and, according to the group, there is no better way to develop a more personal relationship with the Lachlan River than by getting to know the people that live along it.

IMAGE: Down the Track facebook

"Down the Track" CEO, Larn Masterson was enthusiastic about the most recent camp out.

"It will give our young people the opportunity to experience potential career paths in environmental science and will also allow our kids to learn about and care for the environment while providing a cultural connection to country," she said.

The Down the Track team reported that with the weekend temperature up over 40 degrees, they hit the water with a combination of techniques including dragged seine nets and funnel-shaped fyke nets that were set overnight to assess fish levels.

Unfortunately, the results were as expected: thousands of carp, from young around 50mm long to monsters up over 500mm.

IMAGE: Down the Track facebook

This confirmed that recent flooding has resulted in a massive boom in carp numbers. In contrast to "Down The Track "results over the last two years, carp were only one of six or seven species that were sampled.

Hopefully the Lake system will return to normal as the effects of the flooding subside.

There’s no doubt that "Down The Track" will be there to monitor these changes, especially given they are now supported by a wide range of organisations including Landcare, the University of Canberra and other government agencies.