Shoalhaven City Council continues to monitor Lake Conjola height levels very closely having undertaken preparatory work at the entrance last week, should the right conditions arise to open the lake successfully.
Council has lowered the height of the berm to 1.2 AHD in preparation for a rainfall event that would give every chance for a mechanical opening to be successful.
“Based on the technical advice that has been provided, lake water levels are stubbornly sitting at around 1 AHD and the rain so far is not facilitating sufficient pressure to ensure a mechanical opening would be successful,” Andrew Constance CEO Shoalhaven City Council stated.
“I have inspected the lake for myself and I want to assure the community that we want it open. That said, we need a decent rainfall event to flush it and put the necessary pressure on the entrance to open it successfully. The reality is that there is too much sand clogging the entrance and we are seeking to move quickly on dredging the ebb channel,” Andrew Constance said.
According to the Director of City Services at SCC Kevin Norwood, the team is monitoring the lake around the clock.
“We are not sitting on our hands, we just need a heavy shower of rain to make this work,” Mr Kevin Norwood said.
“Even 10mm of rain yesterday had marginal impact on the lake’s level and any attempt to open the lake wouldn’t have worked,” Mr Norwood said.
“All relevant council staff are monitoring the situation closely.”
The maintenance works undertaken so far has lowered the berm and reduced the sand burden in the dry notch area.
“Berm lowering acts as an insurance policy against unexpected intense rainfall, meaning sudden rises in the lake water level would flow out to sea over the lowered berm,” Mr Kevin Norwood said.
“We know based on bitter experience that any mechanical opening without significant rainfall in the catchment would be ineffective,” he said.
The berm lowering work is being conducted in accordance with Council’s Lake Conjola Entrance Management Policy (EMP).
The community is also advised that the proposal to dredge the ebb channel is progressing through the Department of Environment and it is hoped that there will be a final sign off shortly to commence the Review of Environmental Factors.
