Australia: Shoalhaven Finishes Dredging Feasibility Study

The Shoalhaven Citywide dredging feasibility study is now complete and has formed the basis of four funding applications to the State Government’s ‘Rescuing our Waterways’ Program.

Three of the four grant applications lodged on April 14 were for dredging activities at Sussex Inlet Channel, Currambene Creek, and Lake Conjola. The fourth grant application proposes to undertake a study to improve flows of the Shoalhaven River at Shoalhaven Heads.

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor, Joanna Gash, said: “The citywide dredging feasibility study provides sufficient information for Council to progress dredging activities in the Shoalhaven. The study strikes the delicate balance between environmental, economic and social considerations.”

Any dredging undertaken by Council would usually be on a ‘one off’ basis as permanent dredging operations could cause significant economic, environmental and social impacts. Due to the difficulty in predicting how long the effects of the dredging will last, operations will need to be repeated over time; however in some circumstances the benefits of the dredging can last a few years.

“In addition to allocating $200,000 to match any potential successful funding from the State Government, Council has also allocated a further $200,000 in its 2014/15 budget to carry out further investigations and community consultation to progress future partnerships with private industry,” Gash said.

It is intended that Council will recoup some or all of the costs when entering into an agreement with private operators to undertake commercial operations in the future.

The study is available HERE.

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Press Release, April 22, 2014