For months at Lake Conjola after a low-level flooding incident, wharves and jetties have been inundated, lawns near the lake have been under water, and trees on the foreshore have been uprooted.
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The water quality is poor - even the eels have been dying.
There are concerns about the presence of lead, asbestos, insecticides and industrial liquids in the lake and streams running into it.
Residents and landowners have been crying out for a solution to these issues for nine years according to Shoalhaven City Councillor Patricia White.
READ MORE: Community dig opens Lake Conjola entrance
On Tuesday night at a council meeting, Cr White presented her plan for Lake Conjola (detailed below) which was endorsed by her peers.
Shoalhaven Council will seek approval from the state government to open the entrance of Lake Conjola.
Council will also seek approval to immediately prepare and maintain a "dry notch" at the entrance to Lake Conjola to allow water to drain from the lake, should flooding occur.
Council will also investigate the prevalence of contaminants in the lake and streams leading into the lake.
READ MORE: Petition calls on dredging of Lake Conjola
Council will demand an investigation from NSW Fisheries into fish kills and seagrass kills in the lake.
There were two proposals considered at the council meeting - one by Cr White, and another by Mayor Amanda Findley.
The mayor warned her peers that adopting Cr White's recommendation would put the community on "a treadmill to nowhere".
"The state government will come back to you and say, 'you must complete a coastal management plan'," Cr Findley said.
"We have to start with that."
However, Cr Findley's plan was kyboshed by councillors who believed it was not proactive enough to address the imminent problems plaguing residents of Lake Conjola.
"I know the community is looking to take legal action against council," Cr White said.
"I don't see how this is not an urgent matter. I can't wait two to three years for a coastal management plan to be done."
Councillor John Wells backed Cr White's sentiment.
"Their lawns are submerged," Cr Wells said.
"I don't see the nexus being broken unless we take more radical action as proposed by Councillor White."
Councillor Bob Proudfoot also supported Cr White's notice of motion.
"Let's give local people some quality of life," he said.
FOR: Crs White, Wells, Proudfoot, Greg Watson, Jo Gash, Mark Kitchener, Annette Alldrick, Andrew Guile, Mitchell Pakes.
AGAINST: Crs Findley, Kaye Gartner, John Levett, Nina Digiglio.
Recommendation
That Council
1. Make further representations to the relevant agencies for approval to open the entrance of Lake Conjola on the following grounds:-
a. To minimise risk to public safety associated with excessive inundation of foreshores and infrastructure as a result of low level flooding that has been affecting residents and foreshore areas for more than 3 months.
b. In accordance with the recommendation from residents and community members at the Lake Conjola Community CCB Meeting 21 January 2019.
c. In-line with the Interim Entrance Management Plan:-
i. On the planned openings prior to Christmas and Easter holiday trigger levels.
ii. Social, mental and physical impact and wellbeing of residents and tourists including events that occurred over last 3 months.
d. The continued threat of weather i.e. heavy rain from storms and capacity of contractor's timeframes and safety to open the entrance in an emergency.
2. Continue to make ongoing representations to the relevant agencies for approval to open the entrance at Lake Conjola in accordance with Item 1 above until such opening has occurred.
3. Seek approval from the NSW Government Ministers of Crown Lands, Office Environment and Heritage and Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) to immediately prepare and maintain a "dry notch" at the entrance to Lake Conjola to allow "break out" of the lake should flooding occur. This is to be maintained until a new Coastal Management Plan is approved by the Minister.
4. Write to the Minister for Crown Lands & Office of Environment & Heritage requesting that an investigation be undertaken immediately to establish how and why Lake Conjola was listed as an "ICOLL" and not a Wave Dominated Barrier Estuary (WDBE).
5. Write to Dept of Fisheries and request Fisheries to investigate:
a. All current, ongoing and future fish and marine life deaths/kills and sea grass kills in Lake Conjola
b. The amount of Lead in the Lake from lost lead from over a century of recreational fishing by testing fish and marine life species in Lake Conjola and the sands beds of the Lake with the lake closed and not being subject to two tidal interchanges per 24 hours, is this lead building up in the water column and the food chain.
6. Undertake investigations for contamination at the old Waste Depot at Lake Conjola. Such investigations to include:-
a. Water samples in Pattimores lagoon, land run off water, Ground water. Take soil core samples. Take into consideration that many residents use bore water to water their gardens, vegetable gardens and fruit trees.
b. Contaminations including asbestos, industrial liquids, insecticides.
c. Seek information from local residents on knowledge of what was dumped at the site from the original opening.
7. Request the General Manager (or his delegate) to continue to audit the safety of Council assets at Lake Conjola and undertaken any works or signage that maybe necessary.
8. Request the General Manager (or his delegate) to investigate the "Steps "over Lake Revetment walls created by Council on the Council reserve in front of the Lake Conjola Liquor Store and to the east towards Deep Water Resort to be repaired, cleaned and maintained by council.
9. Report timeframe and priority status for preparation of Coastal Management Plan for Lake Conjola to Council.
10. Provide to the Executive of the Lake Conjola CCB documentation as requested by the Lake Conjola CCB including surveys, water testing results, correspondence, Reports etc. (Redaction as required.)
11. Continue to regularly inform the local Member the Hon Shelley Hancock MP of all matters relating to Lake Conjola.
12. Provide monthly update reports to Councillors on all issues concerning Lake Conjola
13. Formerly resolve as policy to continue to support and advocate for residents and community members at Lake Conjola on all issues pertaining to opening the entrance; flooding and erosion at Lake Conjola.
