EIS Submission T. Harden

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT – POMANDA ISLAND WEIR

An Issue Requiring Urgent Consideration                                                 April 9th 2009            

Wind Induced Movement of Exposed Lake Bed Soils              

SUBMISSION OVERVIEW

(1) Serious environmental and human consequences of wind erosion and deposition of exposed lake bed soils (at shorelines and beyond), are happening now.  Click here for detail and photos.

 This issue has been overlooked in the Draft EIS

Which means that -

(2) Water is required to cover the exposed lakebed to levels significantly higher than the -1.5 AHD trigger level, which is much too low and much too late.  Click here for detail and photos. 

            Which means that -

(3) Sea water must be allowed to enter the lake system as soon as possible, as there is insufficient freshwater available for this purpose.  Click here for detail and photos. 

            Which means that –

(4) The temporary weir at Pomanda Island was needed months ago and must be completed as soon as possible to protect urban and irrigation water intakes from saltwater contamination from the lakes. Click here for details and photos.

            And so –

(5) The EIS must factor in the windblown soil issue, acknowledge the unavailability of fresh water to address this problem, acknowledge the immediate need to flood the lakes with an estuarine mix of sea water with fresh water, and acknowledge the need for construction and completion of the Pomanda Island weir as soon as possible.  Click here for details and photos. 

            And -  consequently

(6) The government must abandon its preference for a freshwater solution (which is not immediately available) and abandon its unwarranted reluctance to use sea water to address the immediate and apparently unforeseen problem of windblown erosion and deposition of lake bed soil.  Click here for details and photos.  

Trevor Harden

Clayton Bay

April 9th 2009