Peter Bernard - 26 March 2019

Peter Bernard addressed Council on Narooma bar wall and proposed water supply for Eurobodalla at the Ordinary Council Meeting 26 March 2019.

EUROBODALLA SOUTHERN WATER SUPPLY AND IMPACT STATEMENT

THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR TO THE MADAM GENERAL MANAGER WOULD SHE ADVISE THE PUBLIC OF ALL DISCUSSION S HELD BY COUNCIL OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROJECT WITH

A.-DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

B -   OFFICE OF ENVIROMENT AND HERITAGE

C -ANY OTHER STATUTORY OR ADVISORY OR AUTHORITY.

WOULD THE CHIEF PLANNER SUBMIT A REPORT CONCERNING THE IMPACT OF SEA LEVEL RISE LEVEL RISES PREDICTED BY NSW GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE EUROBODALLA COUNCIL ON ALL PROPERTIES ADJACENT TO COASTAL ENTRANCES AND TRIBUTARIES AND THAT MAY BE SUBJECT TO TIDAL INUNDATION?

IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT PROTECTIVE MEASURES SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION OF WEIRS AND DAMS WILL BE NECESSARY TO PROTECT ADJACENT PROPERTIES AND PREVENT ACCCELERATING SALINATIQN OF FRESH WATER SUPPLIES FOR DOMESTIC AND AGRICULUTURAL PURPOSES.

MADAM GENERAL YOU, LIKE I, KNOW THE NECESSITY OF HAVING AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF CLEAN, FRESH WATER-AS WITH CLEAN AIR IT IS THE DRIVER OF OUR EXISTENCE!

I WOULD LIKE TO ADVISE THAT I HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH A NUMBER OF RELEVANT AUTHORITIES WHO ARE STILL WAITING A REPLY FROM THIS COUNCIL.

NAROOMABAR ENTRANCE ROCK WALLS. 26-3-2019

THROUGH  YOU MADAM MAYOR TO THE GENERAL MANAGER  .WOULD SHE DIRECT THE CHIEF ENGINEER TO PRESENT A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT AND INTRODUCE DIRECT ACTION ON THE STATE OF  THE  NORTHERN, SOUTHERN AND WESTERN ROCK WALLS OF THE NAROOMA ENTRANCE. I HAVE SPOKEN OF THIS ON A PREVIOUS OCCASSIONS AND HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVE PROTECTIVE MEASURES BEING TAKEN. MADAM GENERAL MANAGER THIS COUNCIL AND THE RELEVANT ENGINEERING AUTHORITIES CAN NO LONGER HIDE BEHIND SOME OF THE ROCKS OF THE WALLS - THEY ARE NOW JUST UNDER WATER AFTER SHIFTING AND SLIDING MANY TENS OF METRES -IN SOME AREAS. ENCROACHING UP TO FOURTY FEET OR MORE FROM BOTH SIDES INTO THE ENTRANCE. I DONT CARE WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS BUT IS UP TO YOU MAMAM GENERAL MANAGER TO EXERCISE SOME OF YOUR AUTHORITY. I SWIM OPPOSITE THE ENTRANCE NEAR THE BEACH MOST MORNINGS AND WITNESS SOME BOATS, SCREAM AROUND THE BENDS OF THE ENTRANCE APPARENTLY UNAWARE OF WHAT LURKS UNDERNEATH THEM.

COUNCILLORS IT IS UP TO YOU TO STOP PUSSY FOOTING AROUND WITH A CODE OF CONDUCT AND DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE. FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IT IS NOT A PRETTY SITE TO SEE TWO BROTHERS PUT UP THEIR ARMS AND DISAPPEAR UNDER THE WATER WITHOUT TRACE AFTER THEIR BOAT WAS SWAMPED- MY WIFE PARTLY STRIPPED OFF AND WAS COMFORTING ANOTHER BROTHER WHO CLIMBED OUT OF THE WATER AND UP THE ROCKS. HE SAID HE WAS "WAITING FOR HIS BROTHERS".. LITTLE DID HE KNOW HIS TWO BROTHERS HAD DROWN SECONDS BEFORE-LEAVING ONLY THONGS TO BE TOSSED AROUND BY THE WAVES. MADAM MAYOR MOST COUNCILS HAVE A WORKS COMMITTEE TO INSPECT WORKS AND HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS SUCH AS THIS. RATHER THAN WASTING TIME ON A CODE OF MEETING PRACTICE FORMULATED TO SHUT PEOPLE UP AND COUNCILLORS TO FRIGHTENED FROM SAYING ANYTHING IN FEAR OF HAVING A CODE OF CONDUCT SLAPPED ON THEM. MADAM MAYOR THE ONLY THING HAS BEEN DONE IN YEARS IS TO  CONCRETE A ROW OF BOLLARDS  AT THE BEGINNING  OF THE WALK WAY WHICH EFFECTIVELY PREVENTS   RESCUE VEHICLES FROM  DRIVING UP IN CASE OF AN EMMERGENCY AT THE ENTRANCE   .

PETER BERNARD 26-3-2019

Council's reply

Southern Water Storage
Council has lodged a formal development application for the Eurobodalla Southern Water Storage project to the Department of Planning. As a matter of course, the Department refers such applications to the Office of Environment and Heritage and other relevant agencies for review and comment prior to considering the application.

Council has lodged all necessary information with the Department of Planning who are now considering Council’s application.

Our proposed off stream Southern Water Storage is located at an elevation well above existing and projected tidal limits, and will therefore not be impacted by sea level rise.

Sea Level Rise and Coastal Planning
The NSW Government no longer has adopted sea level rise projections. It is up to each Council to adopt sea level rise projections, based on the best available science. Council, on the 25 November 2014, adopted sea level rise projections based on independent assessment undertaken by Whitehead and Associates.

To plan for the future and mitigate risk, Council adopted the Interim Coastal Hazards Adaptation Code (the code) in February 2015 to guide the assessment of Development Applications in areas potentially at risk from coastal hazards. This interim code is in place
pending completion of a Coastal Management Program in accordance with NSW Government Legislation. The Coastal Management Program, when completed, will be the primary tool for managing hazards including coastal hazards such as erosion of beaches, inundation from storm surges and longer term processes such as sea level rise.

Information on hazard mapping, coastal management and flood management can be found
on Council’s website.

Narooma Entrance Rock Walls
We appreciate you raising this matter again with Council and your broader concerns for the safety of the community. It saddens us to hear you and your wife personally witnessed a previous boating tragedy at the Narooma entrance.

As previously advised, the Narooma entrance rock walls are owned and maintained by the NSW Government and therefore all queries and consequent action is a matter for the relevant agency. To assist you, we have forwarded a copy of your submission onto the responsible agency for their consideration and direct reply back to yourself.