2021-06-14 General Committee Meeting Minutes

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES   14 JUNE 2021




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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES                                                         14 JUNE 2021

   ATTACHMENT 1
   EXCERPT
   NOOSA SHIRE — WATERWAYS ASSESSMENT 2017
   AN ASSESSMENT OF NOOSA WATERWAYS TO INFORM THE NOOSA PLAN & REHABILITATION
   STRATEGIES
   Paperbark and Sedgeland Dominated Non-Riverine Wetlands and Estuarine Area
   Within the current Vegetation Management Act, except where exemptions or Accepted
   Development Vegetation Clearing Codes apply, clearing both within and within 100m of a wetland
   (non-riparian and estuarine) conflicts with Acceptable Outcomes for assessable vegetation clearing.
   Ideal Buffer distance recommendations for wetlands from a water quality perspective do however
   largely depend on the method of water input to the wetlands — either surface or groundwater
   infiltration and the geographical source of such waters. Specific information of this nature does not
   currently exist comprehensively and accurately across the shire and as such the generalization of
   100m is recommended as per regulatory guidelines. (P.62)
   “A number of initiatives are potentially available that could provide wetland value and water quality
   outcomes within non-riparian and estuarine wetlands. These initiatives could include:
       e   Actions to preserve wetland quality, in particular management of transformer weeds and
           feral animal pets, particularly feral pigs.
       e   Cattle access and fencing.
       e   Reinstatement of wetland vegetation, both within wetlands themselves and within desired
           wetland buffer areas.
       e   Reinstatement of surface freshwater flow and condition, in and around wetlands where
           channelization or alteration has occurred.
       e   §=Retrofitting and reconstruction of road crossings in wetland areas to reduce the effect of
           narrowing and concentrating flow causing both upstream and downstream riverbank and
           bed disturbance. Fish and aquatic fauna passage would also benefit directly from this
           activity.
       e   Engagement and or regulatory programs to upgrade effluent disposal systems and their
           impact on producing discharge into shallow aquifers in targeted areas such as Cootharaba.”
           (P.66)

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