Residents of Lake Conjola's patience has run out following a deluge that caused flooding to residential yards and van sites at a camping ground.
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From about 10pm onwards on Monday, April 22, Conjola Community Association reported the lake rose 100mm in one hour and 47 minutes.
River data from the Bureau of Meteorology has recorded the lake height at 0.87 metres since Tuesday morning, just short of the one-metre interim trigger point for an emergency opening. It remains steady at the same mark on Wednesday, April 24.
Conjola Community Association president Robyn Kerves said some residents woke up surrounded by flood water.
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"The high level of the water table and the lake itself has caused storm water back up and low level flooding. Please we need your help now," she said.
Mrs Kerves called on Shoalhaven City Council to "fast-track and implement recommendations for a coastal management plan and immediately commence strategic procedures to open and maintain an opening to restore some normality to both the physical and economic status of Lake Conjola".
"The process will take time to restore the natural tidal flow. The research and recommendations on how this can be successfully done have been provided to council. We are asking you to start this process."
About 5pm on Tuesday, April 23, council release a media statement stating it was aware of low-level flooding and that it acknowledged there was an "urgent need" to open the lake.
"Council are taking every effort to seek permission for this to occur," it said in a statement.
"An application has already been made to the Crown Lands Department to effect an opening of the lake. This was made last week. We, as much as you, hope for the approval to open the lake as soon as possible."
Council has also issued correspondence to the Office of Environment and Heritage, Crown Lands, Fisheries departments to plead the case for an opening.
"This includes personal emails from the Mayor and Acting GM to the Member for South Coast and new Minister for Local Government seeking support for the approval to undertake a Lake opening," the statement said.
Machinery is placed on standby should there be any further rainfall and the opening trigger levels in the current interim entrance management policy are reached, council said.
In March, councillors decided to to seek approval from the state government to open the entrance of Lake Conjola, following a motion tabled by Cr Patricia White.
