20 July 2009
as reported by Senior Journalist, Ken Jury
In an interview on 891 ‘Morning’ today, a Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity Conservation spokesperson said that the agency had gone back to the Commission for a "variance in the design" of the Currency Creek regulator.
“It’s a difficult environment and a changing methodology beyond the 250 metre rock embankment already in place,” he said.
After being quizzed by 891, it appears that the agency is hopeful of receiving a re-start approval in the next few days.
“Yes, material is being displaced and while we don’t think they’re an environmental concern, we are waiting on results of tests from interstate,” he said.
Contactors have to deal with an ‘in-consistent bottom’ of black oozy, potentially acid contaminated mud and silt, resulting in what appears to be many unknowns for them from this project.
To hear a repeat of the Monday morning broadcast go to the ABC news radio website.
15 July 2009
The latest news reaching LakesNeedWater this morning is that the Currency Creek and Finniss regulators have been abandoned.
According to local contract sources, the placement of many thousands of tonnes of crushed stone and clay were disappearing almost as fast as being dumped on the Currency Creek site, where black, oozy, highly acidic anaerobic muds were continually being displaced by the rubble.
Several residents in Goolwa today were now turning their thoughts towards progress with the Clayton regulator, given that this structure is yet to cross the deeper section of the Goolwa Channel.
The fear for many is that the commencement of these structures was started too late given that July can be particularly wet, and that both Currency Creek and the Finniss River are now flowing into the Goolwa Channel, taking any exposed sulphuric acid with it.
Residents are venting their anger at the level of management provided by DEH in this crisis for the lower lakes.