SALVINIA CONTROL

Folks while we were overseas apparently CHCC has contracted Wetland care Australia to help with writing a plan for the control of the aquatic weeds. They are seeking advice back from the community.

The question is do we want bio-control which takes longer but will be more successful or do we want them to physically remove the weeds which offers short term solution but will simply provide a chance for the weeds to return. At present CHCC is of the opinion that we the residents want physical removal not bio-control, Im not sure if that is representative of us all ?. Certainly we believe that while physical removal is a good short term option, that it is not a solution and will simply waste 40K. The more robust and long term effective tool is to release the bugs now and let them take a strong hold but that will take over a year to start seeing the results (so we are told). We would rather see CHCC remove some of the sediment which also helps reduce the physical foothold for the weeds and let the bio-agent kill the weeds for good.

Please let us know what you want so we can represent the Korora residents.

Update on Salvinia

Wetland care Australia has been in touch with us and have reviewed CHCC proposal to mulch the Salvinia and like us have advised that regardless of spraying or mulching the weed will continue to grow back. They also advised that the release of the Salvinia weevil was badly timed in winter and would not have started to proliferate. As such the advice to CHCC is to do another release of the weevil in summer that would require some strip spraying of the salvinia and then releasing the weevils on the new growth.

CHCC costed the mulching at 40K and so we should now lobby them to use that money to physically remove the sediment from the lagoons to help in reducing the foot hold for the weeds. Please lobby CHCC in this regard.

Please email us kersten@westnet.com.au and cc Josh Keating in Wetland Care Aust on josh.keating@wetlandcare.com.au.

More as it comes to hand.

Paul and Kersten

Advice from Coffs Council

Paul - further to our conversation the other day I would like to confirm the following:

The Hyrdro Digga contractor will be on site Monday 22nd at 7am to set up, and will start at approximately 7.30am pumping out the sediment from the upper lagoon (deposited as a result of sediment and erosion cotnrol failure from the development site).

Unfortunately, the contractor due to prior commitments cannot carry out further works at the lagoon on the same day.

It has been determined that the sediment and associated water will be wholly contained in the truck and removed from the site.  This means the water will not need to be released through sediment controls at the time of the works.

The works will progress despite the predicted 'low' and likely rainfall.

The potential for increased growth of the Salvinia resulting from nutrient flush from the pumping may result, and this growth will not be able to be controlled through herbicide spray due to the biocontrols (weevils) that have been introduced to the site.  The Salvinia control programme will continue to be monitored by Barry Powells.

I was unable to meet with the contractor today re the works on the southern side of the walkway.  However, Monday may be an opportunity for this to occur to get an estimation of costs.  I will be on site at 7am to monitor the works.  As far as I am aware the contractor fee is $330.00 per hour plus $50 per tonne for tip fees (this is for the smaller of the two trucks).  Once we have a vague idea of cost, it might be opportune to consider options in methodology to get the best bang for you buck, so to speak. What I’m thinking is that given the volume of material either side of the walkway, it may be more cost effective to use something capable of shifting larger quantities. Ben Lawson has asked that I give him an idea of the cost to tackle this area in addition to addressing the sediment from the development, but there is no budget allocation as yet.

Regards

Nat

Nat Redman (BAppSc Coastal Management) I Environmental Engineer  I  Coffs Harbour City Council I Survey & Design Branch  I  City Services Dept  I  Ph (02) 6648 4475 Mob: 0409 820 143 I  Email nat.redman@chcc.nsw.gov.au

CHCC Pathetic Response

Here is the rediculous response we got back from CHCC ............ needless to say I was not kind in my response.

G'day Paul,

The sediment from Opal Cove will be distinguishable by its colour (orange) and there isn't any process whereby this could transform into 'black muck' within a few months.

The heavier silt (estimate 3-4m3 max) is that which has deposited as a 'fan' at the outlet of the drainage pipe.  This is the focus of the cleanup efforts.

While I do acknowledge that there would have been some lighter material that would have spread further, the bulk of this would have washed through given the scale of the storm event and consequent flows through the lagoon at the time.

I acknowledge that the 'black muck' is something you'd want to address, but this is certainly not from Opal Cove. I understand that the entire catchment has many years of intensive agriculture around it then urbanisation with little or no sediment control, along with years of spraying Salvinia which would have rotted down in the lagoon.

As part of the works, Council plans to try to clean out the pipe under Links Ave. Once this is clear, it will probably have the effect of flushing out the lagoons during larger flows.

If your Landcare group wanted to focus on particular areas to clean some of the black muck in addition, this should be OK, however this will have to be documented on the Review of Environmental Factors Council is preparing for the proposed de-siltation works. So to tee this up, we'll need to arrange a meeting on site.  I've cc'd Bill Richardson and Nat Redman in on the email - can you &/or Craig please nominate a time that suits?

Regards, Ben.

Coffs Harbour City Council Response to the Advocate

Hi Matt (....the Journalist),

Please find Council's response below:

Council acknowledges the understandable frustration that the Korora residents feel over this issue.

The contractor has acknowledged the inadequacy of the sediment and erosion controls on the Opal Coffs development and was to undertake the silt removal works from the lagoon when they began work on the site again. This has not occurred to date due to unrelated matters. However, the silt in the lagoon that originated from the development will be removed within a fortnight.

The other matters raised, while of understandable concern, are not likely to be resolved in the short term. A bio-control weevil has been introduced to attempt to control the noxious weed Salvinia in the lagoon. This will take at least 12 months to have an impact. A natural areas plan of management for Korora lagoons is also in preparation. However Council’s funds to undertake such works are limited. Once the plan has been completed, residents will be consulted.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Sara Hinds
Media Officer
Coffs Harbour City Council

Ph: 02 6648 4093
Mob: 0407 227818
email: sara.hinds@chcc.nsw.gov.au
www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au

Coffs Coast Advocate Story

Folks we have just been contacted by the Coffs Coast Advocate who are interested in doing a story, can you rally your troops to Links Ave tonight at 1700 hrs for a photos please.

The Rotting Slime

Things have become rediculous folks, have you seen the disgusting black sludge in the lagoons ?, its time to rally the Community and do something about this mess. I am about to send my final email to CHCC advising them we are going to hold a Community meeting.

CESS POOL - WHAT A DISGRACE

Sedimentation and an increasing humus layer of rotting weeds has turned our once beautiful assett into a cess pool and rubbish tip. Let your Council know that this is just not acceptable, we want some of our rates to go towards a clean up and to make Opal Cove take some responsibility for their pollution.

Welcome to our neighbourhood site

We have created this blog site to keep our neighbours up to date on matters concerning the disgraceful state of the Korora Lagoons. A few concerned residents have approached Coffs Harbour City Council raising their concerns about the sedimentation of the water body, the increasing weeds and general lack of interest in repairing the mess that lies before them. Following some initial interest by one CHCC officer to kick start some on-ground action, little else has eventuated. This is despite repeated emails to CHCC, local members and the Mayor. We were promised months ago that the pollution event caused by the outrageous development (clearing and construction) of the Opal Cove area, would be resolved in the following weeks - the sediment from Opal Cove washed down the road, into drains and finally deposited in the lagoons. That sediment has now replaced the water and has created an island of muck and filth, an absolute eyesore in our neighbourhood. But somehow this compliance issue seems not to be important and the developers continue to make a mockery of the local planning process. As more information comes to hand we will post any developments.