GERROA SAND MINE EXTENSION – GROUND WATER

It is vital to ensure that groundwater monitoring locations are appropriately sited to measure and monitor groundwater interactions in the vicinity of the new dredge pond and to also ensure that measures to protect adjoining EECs from groundwater changes are in place. If this is not possible then the sand mine should not proceed.

The current approval was for a specific extraction site and consideration was not given to the proposed modification site. The LEC considered impacts of groundwater gradients that intersected the dredge pond. The determination recognised that impacts of groundwater profiles could have an adverse effect on adjoining vegetation. Consequently, conditions of consent required groundwater monitoring and identified physical actions within the dredge ponds to ameliorate changes to ground water profiles. While we believe the proposed LEC actions to address groundwater balance problems were speculative and untested, we believe that it may be impossible to apply such procedures meaningfully to the proposed large dredge pond in this modification proposal.

The outstanding value of the Seven Mile Beach ecosystem is its reliance on the system of large freshwater wetlands, including Coomonderry and Foys Swamp and the Crooked River saline wetlands.

The coastal freshwater wetland system was probably the largest of its kind in the state, and while much has been modified, it remains a habitat for Swamp Oak and Swamp Mahogany wetland forests. These communities are listed as Endangered Ecological Communities under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Coastal Swamp Oak Forest has recently been listed as a nationally significant ecological community under national environment law (the EPBC Act). The swamp oak is an important food source for the vulnerable Glossy Black Cockatoo, which Mills identifies as a visitor to this area.

There appears to be no specific groundwater monitoring locations to the west, north and south of the new proposed dredge pond to monitor groundwater variations. (Click to see Application Appendix A Surface and Groundwater) Without employing a hydrologist to interpret groundwater data it is difficult to respond to the Surface Water and Groundwater Assessment, May 2014, however, little groundwater data appears to be provided in this assessment for the proposed dredge pond. If this is correct it would be difficult to assess groundwater impacts of the dredge pond on vegetation communities.

This modification proposal should not be supported if there is no clarity about how groundwater impacts on endangered vegetation communities are measured, monitored and addressed.

5. Screening.

This new sand mine will locate a large industrial enterprise in a rural landscape. The location is a scenic, tourist area so visual impacts will detract from the landscape values, particularly from the north and west of the mine site. The visual Viewshed Analysis indicates high public and private visibility from the direction of Toolijooa Road; very high visibility from the elevated Dooley Road, and partial visibility from Beach Road. In addition, the mine will be visible from the neighbouring property to the north of the Northern Paddock, which is omitted on the Viewshed Analysis. Visual impacts from the north, west and south west could easily be offset by screen planting as proposed in the vegetation screening map (Click to see map in new window).

Consideration should be given to effective visual screen as soon as possible before the commencement of the project.

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