A worried resident whose property has already been flooded twice is urging Central Coast Council to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to managing flooding issues caused by sand build-up blocking The Entrance Channel.
Michael Chamley has lived in Tuggerah Pde, The Entrance, since 2018 and has been through two floods and narrowly avoided a third last year.
Now he is worried he could be flooded again following reports of a possible La Nina weather event this Summer.
He is urging Council to plan now before it’s too late and remove the build-up of sand at the mouth of the channel permanently.
“Last year an East Coast Low was predicted, and Council did nothing until the second day of torrential rain and it had already started flooding,” he said.
“Waiting until there is torrential rain means it’s all over red rover.”
Chamley has urged Council to consider removing the sand south of the area cordoned off for the protection of the nesting Little Terns and keep it clear of sand permanently.
“With another El Nina in the offing this is a disaster waiting to happen,” he said.
“Not only is the entrance area virtually closed by sand, but the volume of sand in the channel will not be moved promptly if torrential rainfall is pushing the sand towards the ocean to be met by the massive obstruction that sand is now presenting.
“This is another disaster waiting to happen for the residents bordering Tuggerah lakes and it’s feeding waterways.
“In 2024 it took a week before sand action commenced, and there appears to be a greater volume of sand deposited in the same area today than there was in 2024.”
He estimates the height of the sand currently is around two metres and said it would be unrealistic not to expect flooding if the rainwater could not escape.
“I want the Council to be proactive and not reactive,” he said.
“The water cannot get out and it’s got to go somewhere.
“It takes too long to dig out the sand while houses are being flooded.
“It’s so frustrating – keep the entrance open.”
Chamley has written to Waterways NSW and several Central Coast Councillors including Corrine Lamont, Margot Castles and Rachel Stanton.
Lamont responded by saying she recognised the community’s concerns regarding the management of The Entrance Channel and promised to follow up those concerns.
She said she shared Chamley’s concerns about the potential for further flooding with reports of a possible La Nina weather event and she had campaigned on the importance of bringing a dredge back to The Entrance Channel to help mitigate flooding in the Tuggerah lakes area.
She agreed maintaining the channel’s capacity to handle heavy rain events was critical and proactive management was key to minimising damage to properties and the surrounding environment.
Castles also promised to follow up on his concerns.
A Council spokesperson said Council had responded to Chamley and included an explanation of Council’s management strategy for potential flooding in the Tuggerah lakes estuary.
She said while some indicators for a La Niña event have been recently identified, the Bureau of Meteorology has stated that these conditions have not reached the sustained levels or duration sufficient to declare a La Niña.
The spokesperson said Council was committed to staying ahead of potential weather events and actively managing the condition of the Entrance Channel and closely monitored the situation and evaluated the need for optional non-flood management works to help ensure that the system is best prepared should a heavy rainfall event occur.
She said Council could not confirm the exact details and timing of any potential works, but it did proactively consider all options available to mitigate flood risks, in balance with protecting the estuary ecosystem.
The decision-making process was driven by the Interim Entrance Management Procedure with detailed data from predictive models and ongoing monitoring of environmental conditions.
People wishing to learn more can visit: https://www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/environment/coastlines/estuaries-lagoons-and-wetlands/tuggerah-lakes-estuary
Denice Barnes
Be the first to comment on "Possible La Nina event sparks flood fears"