To the Editor,
Will Canowindra survive through dry times and flood?
I have recently been involved with the “Lachlan Valley Water Security Project” run by Water NSW. The reason for the project was because the Lachlan Valley is the most vulnerable valley in NSW to both flooding and water security in dry years.
There were many options initially investigated however the process was supposed to be an analytical approach with emotions taken away from the findings. In short there were two main options, one raising the dam wall at Wyangala. The other being a dam on the Belubula River at various locations.
After several survey’s a dam site at the lower end of Pride of Oak was considered most logical. This was to be a dam at a height of 395m and would hold 700GL water. Wyangala by comparison holds 1,100GL. A dam at this height was not going to impact the Cliefden Caves.
In July of this year everything looked like the dam on the Belubula River was the best outcome.
Now fast forward 6 months and everything has changed and Canowindra residents are disappointed. The dam on the Belubula in my mind has been ripped apart as they think the dam height will effect the caves which are closed however no evidence was given.
So to sum it up the Belubula River will still flood and will still run dry in Summer.
Regards,
Mark Brown