Sussex Inlet, St Georges Basin, Swan Lake & Berrara Creek CMP Stage 3 - Next Steps - Shoalhaven City Council

 

Council would like to thank the CMP subscribers and the community for providing input and contributing to the preparation of the Sussex Inlet, St George Basin, Swan Lake and Berrara Creek CMP throughout 2023 and 2024. Since the consultation held in mid-2023, the Project Team has been busy reviewing and evaluating the management actions proposed for Stage 3 using a robust, decision-making framework in line with the NSW Coastal Management Framework. Council has been discussing the proposed options with State Government Agencies and internal stakeholders to determine the feasibility and viability of the relevant actions for inclusion in the CMP, with consideration given to the amazing community ideas received throughout the CMP process. This process is nearing completion and Council is looking forward to sharing how the feedback received during the Stage 3 consultation has been considered in this process, as well as the Stage 3 Report for the CMP. Following Stage 3, the project will move to Stage 4 which involves public exhibition of the draft CMP document. Council anticipates the public exhibition to occur in the second half of 2024. If you have questions about the CMP development process, please contact the Coastal Management Unit at coastal.management@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au or by calling Council on 1300 293 111. For more information about this project, please visit the Sussex Inlet, St Georges Basin, Swan Lake & Berrara Creek CMP Get Involved webpage. For more information about CMPs in general, please visit the Shoalhaven Coastal Management Programs Get Involved webpage. Kind regards, Community Engagement Team Shoalhaven City Council

Have your say on the Sussex Inlet, St. Georges Basin, Swan Lake and Berrara Creek Coastal Management Program - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 8 March 2022

As part of Stage 2 studies for the Sussex Inlet, St. Georges Basin, Swan Lake and Berrara Creek Coastal Management Programs (CMPs), Council is inviting community members to take part in the following upcoming Community Workshops and Information drop-in sessions: 

• Tuesday 15 March - Erowal Bay Public Hall, 19 King George St, Erowal Bay Community workshop 4:30-6pm (registration essential) 
• Community information drop-in session 6:30-7:30pm (registration not required) 
• Wednesday 16 March - Sussex Inlet Community Centre, 21 Thomson Street, Sussex Inlet 
• Community workshop 4:30-6pm (registration essential) 
• Community information drop-in session 6:30-7:30pm (registration not required) 

The community workshops will gather additional insights into key coastal management issues and concerns impacting these areas, including ideas and opportunities on how best to manage them.

Council encourages the community to be involved and help to shape and inform the development of these CMPs. The community will also be invited to review and comment on the draft CMPs that will be put on public exhibition following further development. 

Places are limited, if you would like to attend the Community Workshops on the 15 or 16 March 2022, please complete the online Workshop Form. Additional workshops may be scheduled if required. Please note that all are welcome at the information drop-in sessions and no registration is required.  

You can also provide insight via the Interactive Map by using the categorised marker pins to make a comment and highlight your areas of concerns specific to Coastal Management in the area. 

For more information about this project, visit the St. Georges Basin, Sussex Inlet, Swan Lake and Berrara Creek Coastal Management Program Get Involved web page. 

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Swan Lake Artificially Opened Illegally - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 19 January 2022

 An artificial opening at Swan Lake was carried out by members of the public on 12 January 2022. NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries were alerted and will be enacting their compliance functions. Council Rangers have also been in the area carrying out investigations as the artificial opening of the lake is an illegal activity as these works were not carried out in relation to the water trigger levels and Entrance Management Policy (EMP).

The intervention works created a 20-30-metre-wide channel, which poses a public safety risk. People need to be made aware of the danger this has created. The channel, when opened by natural means or by Council (under licensed conditions in accordance with the EMP), is located to the south adjoining the rock platform. This does not typically create a channel like the one that has formed from the recent artificial intervention.

Pending rainfall and tidal behaviours, it is expected that the sand bar will re-establish in four to eight weeks and return Swan Lake back to its natural form. The entrance cannot be closed using any further artificial intervention. In the meantime, signs have been posted by Council to alert the public to the swimming hazard. 

Shoalhaven City Council Manager of Environment Services, Dr Michael Roberts said, “This channel, between Swan Lake and the ocean, has resulted in the lake artificially opening at too low a water level and in unsuitable conditions. This may lead to significant adverse environmental impacts on Swan Lake, such as low oxygen levels, associated fish kills as well as a significant swimming hazard.”

 “It is an offence to open coastal lakes, or lagoons, using machinery or by hand, without a licence and could result in penalties of up to $220,000 per offence.” Dr Roberts stated. 

Council operates an Entrance Management Policy for Swan Lake, and other coastal lakes in the Shoalhaven region, with licenses from various State Government Agencies.   

This Policy allows Council to mechanically open Swan Lake to the ocean with an excavator to prevent flooding of low-lying properties surrounding the lake when the water level rises, typically following a large rainfall event, to a specific trigger level.