134,000 people would be added to the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain over the next 30 years a key NSW government report on raising of Warragamba Dam wall has stated.
Colong Foundation for Wilderness Campaign Manager Harry Burkitt: “Infrastructure NSW have said flooding constraints on development are a key reason why Warragamba Dam wall should be raised. Stuart Ayres’ claim on Ray Hadley’s program this morning that not a single house will be put on the floodplain as a result of the dam raising is totally inconsistent with these official reports.
“The government proposal will not solve the problem for flooding. The SES have found nearly half of all flood waters at Windsor originate from catchment areas not upstream of Warragamba Dam.
“If anybody is putting people at risk on the floodplain it is the NSW Government.”
Conservationists welcome Labor and Greens stand to protect national parks
“We welcome support from Labor and the NSW Greens to oppose the Water NSW Amendment (Warragamba Dam) Bill 2018 introduced into Parliament last night. The legislation winds back protections in the National Parks and Wildlife Act that prevents flood inundation of national parks in the southern Blue Mountains wilderness.
“Putting more people in harm's way and placing a World Heritage property at risk by raising the dam wall are disturbing outcomes arising from this government’s dam proposal.”
“The upstream area at risk is a conservation heartland. It is Australia’s most protected national park, with six layers of protection, including being inscribed on the World Heritage list. Raising the dam will put at risk 48 of Australia’s most threatened species, inundate 65 kilometres of wilderness streams and many cultural sites of the Gundungurra people.”
Media contact:
Harry Burkitt
0490 010 909
[email protected]
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