Tuggerah Lakes Care (TLC) has welcomed Central Coast Council’s decision to resume dredging of The Entrance Channel after almost five years.
Councillors unanimously supported the move at their meeting on June 23, with a budget allocation of $1.2M.
Council can now start to draw up plans to carry out regular maintenance dredging of the 2.5km main channel between the lake and the ocean.
In 2020 Council disposed of the old rusty dredge, which had been inoperable and moored in
Wyong River for several years.
The old dredge needed major repairs, but a dredging contractor took the opportunity to make it serviceable again for Lake Macquarie Council and complete its recent dredging programs.
After six floods, two of them major, the Tuggerah Lakes community was asking why flood mitigation policies had not been introduced after numerous studies and reports had recommended that maintenance dredging should continue.
The most recent study by Manly Hydraulics Laboratory (MHL) for Council in 2022 recommended that the current maintenance dredging operations be evaluated and the feasibility of a targeted maintenance dredging strategy be investigated further.
TLC says MHL had assumed that a flow connection existed between the main lake to entrance throat channel when in fact aerial photos from Central Coast Aero Club clearly showed large areas of sand near The Entrance bridge were restricting flows.
“Our Tuggerah Lakes Community are appreciative that all of our councillors have now made a commitment to dredge and improve flood mitigation policies that will subsequently improve our flood preparedness and expertise,” a TLC spokesperson said.
“Council can now engage with the NSW Government in worthwhile grant funding opportunities.
“Tuggerah Lakes Care will continue to support our councillors for the implementation of future dredging policies.
“These policies should also provide opportunities for maintenance of navigation channels, improved water quality, tourism and new family beaches.”
Groynes. Groynes Groynes you FOOLS!!!
it is about time they are going to do it we are sick of flooding
what a brag of wasting rates. however, finally, well done. what could have been worked out far cheaper by private contractors with brains, will happen expensively!
since when have private contractors ever been cheaper ?
it’s about time.Such a beautiful lake and very few people enjoy it by sailing swimming etc. long Jetty used to be crowded with people enjoying themselves.
Council didn’t repair it for 6 years, got rid of it and now the contractor has fixed it and is changing for its use!
well done to the Councillor’s that put the motion foward. we can’t wait to see the brown water a little clearer . The estuaries need attention as well and once cleared we may get back to the hay days we all enjoyed. The water is unsuitable for swimming at the moment. onwards and upwards.
oh well what will the whingers whine about now ?
they should build a break wall one one each side & then remove the sand, the break walls will stop the sand from blocking the channel again.