A strong weather system currently impacting the north coast of NSW has prompted MidCoast Council to prepare for a possible opening of Smiths Lake over coming days, as water levels approach the trigger point.
Council is requesting that boat owners urgently remove vessels from the Lake to avoid stranding as lake levels drop, and advising people to stay away from the opening during the first 36 hours, for their safety.
"During the opening we will be restricting boat access to the lake and only authorised officers will have access to Sandbar Beach. Public access to the Beach will be limited for safety reasons," said Council's Water Quality and Estuary Management Coordinator, Prue Tucker.
Council has a policy to mechanically open the lake when it approaches 2.1 metres above sea level. This action is outlined in the Coastal Zone Management Plan for Smiths Lake, the opening level takes into account environmental outcomes as well as to prevent minor flooding of property and roads.
"Torrential rain in the last 24 hours, on top of regular good rainfall this month, means that the Lake has risen 0.5 metres since early Thursday morning and is now over 1.6m. With the prediction for continued heavy rainfall into tomorrow, we could well be at or above our opening trigger level over the next couple of days."
"We will continue to consult key stakeholders, including local fishers, in reaching any decision to open the Lake."
You can keep an eye on Smiths Lake water levels with real time data on the NSW Government website https://mhl.nsw.gov.au/Site-209465.
Careful consideration is being given to the exact timing of the Smiths Lake opening. Tides, swell conditions, predicted rainfall and lake levels will influence the effectiveness of the opening.
The Smiths Lake plan can be found on our website at: midcoast.nsw.gov.au/riversandlakes, along with further information on the management of Smiths Lake and Council's other coastal management programs.
