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Council News WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL
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Issue 57
FIRST PRINTED SATURDAY 15 AUGUST 2015
Weekly information from us to you
Lake level right as rain Water height up by a metre-and-a-half thanks to winter downpours
A wet winter has been a boon for Lake Albert, with the popular recreation spot’s water level rising by 1.56m since May.
The news comes as community consultation on the Lake Albert Management Plan (LAMP) drew to a close on 31 July after two months of invaluable feedback from residents and user groups. Wagga Wagga City Council staff will now incorporate the community’s ideas, thoughts and comments into the LAMP review to go before Council later this year. “We’ve received some really important feedback from the community during this
consultation,” Director Environmental and Community Services Janice Summerhayes said. “The community has had their say on everything from the water levels to new recreation facilities at the lake.” In positive news for the lake, the licence application has been submitted to allow a test bore to be drilled for groundwater. At its May meeting, Council endorsed a request for $20,000 in funding from the Wagga Wagga Boat Club to investigate the availability of groundwater near the lake. However, the proposed drilling site is heavily saturated due to the recent rain, which means a test bore won’t be possible until the area dries out. While the rain will slow down the groundwater investigation, it has been of great benefit to the lake.
The water height on 8 May was 189.62m above sea level and after a wet winter has risen to 191.18m on 13 August – with inflows still entering the lake. One topic to be explored in the LAMP review is the expansion of the stormwater harvesting area. “Increasing stormwater harvesting also means having to look at how we manage the additional silt, rubbish and nutrient load, which causes blue green algae,” Director Infrastructure Services Heinz Kausche said. “After a period without rain, that first flush of stormwater picks up everything from animal waste, fertiliser, chemicals and more. “Any increase to stormwater harvesting will also mean additional projects such as wetlands and gross pollutant traps must be also considered.”
SCIENCE at the Movies A FREE NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK EVENT
INFLOWS: Lake Albert’s water level has risen by 1.56m since May due to good winter rain. Water was still flowing in from Crooked Creek (main) after recent downpours.
Enjoy a midweek break with two Australian science documentaries. Possum Wars When possums and people vie for real estate, it’s war! Seed Hunter A highly entertaining documentary about a topic that is vital to the future of the planet.
Forum 6 Cinemas
Wednesday 19 August Possum Wars: 6pm Seed Hunter: 7.15pm
This is a ticketed event. Book and collect your tickets at the library. This Inspiring Australia initiative is supported by the Australian Government as part of National Science Week