Following concerns raised at a recent community meeting at Lake Conjola, Shoalhaven City Council CEO Andrew Constance has released advice from the NSW Government, provided to the Council, that dredging is not permitted at Lake Conjola under existing licence arrangements.
"I want to firstly acknowledge that the Conjola community has been through enough following the Black Summer fires and floods over the years and there must be a resolution to the management of Lake Conjola as quickly as possible. This is a sensitive matter requiring empathy and leadership.
"Mayor White and I attended a meeting of the community last week to hear community concerns and want to recognise the community's leadership and efforts in trying to get sand dredged under the existing licence, which we would remain hopeful could occur if there is a pathway under the NSW Government.
The NSW Government through its Crown Lands department advised Council on the 25 September that it was not authorised to proceed with dredging.
The advice states:
"the existing Crown Land licence do not authorise dredging or the large-scale removal of sand from Lake Conjola as it may be interpreted by the general public.
"hence, the existing REF and subsequent Crown Land licence do not permit Council to undertake any dredging of the ebb tide channel.
Mayor White and the Council will continue advocating to NSW Ministers the urgency in finding a solution under restrictive Crown Land licensing relating to dredging the ebb channel.
"We want to partner with the NSW Government and most importantly the community to resolve this matter and need clarity of any formal funding offer to commence the necessary approvals and contracting to dredge the ebb channel.
"In nearby Batemans Bay the NSW Government undertakes dredging and I would hope that a partnership agreement and similar approach could be reached in relation to Lake Conjola.
"I appreciate that Batemans Bay is a navigational channel compared to an intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoon (ICOLL) at Lake Conjola, however, if it is the intent of State MP Liza Butler and the NSW Government to permanently open Lake Conjola we need further clarification of their plans.
In the next month an updated estuary management plan will be considered by the Council which specifically deals with the council's ability to open the lake entrance to manage flood risk.
