2021-01-18 GC - Item 2 - Attachment 2 - Consultation Report River Plan Version 1 (2018)

Department of                 -   Re objective 3
Environment and Science       -   Noosa Spit and Munna Point are not in the FHA. However, this management response may have a broader effect in that it could reduce boat wash
                                  impacts on nearby river banks in the FHA.
                              -   If areas in the FHA have boating speed limits introduced or reduced, then DES would support reduced speed limits in the interest of protecting banks
                                  and riparian vegetation from the impact of erosion from boat wash.

                          Dredging / Navigation

Private                       -   Reduce sand build up at the river mouth and bar through proper management of the waterway.
                              -   Develop a holistic approach to the water flow of the river rather than just drop sandbags in an area without any thought given to how placing those
                                  bags will affect the water flow and sand build up.

Private                       -   Address the activities of the past that have threatened the river - i.e. Alteration of the river mouth and how that is related to reducing fish stocks /
                                  flushing / boat safety.
                              -   Scientists have recently identified that the size of the river mouth affects the number and size of fish in river systems, worth addressing in the river
                                  plan.

Private                       -   I don't agree with most of these (actions listed in YSN) because the agenda is vulnerable to be hijacked by activists.
                              -   The Council should instead be lobbying the State Government to deal with the problem of sand silting up navigation channels and the river bar which
                                  are in dire need of dredging.
                              -   Also Doggie beach should not have been allowed to deteriorate the way it has, which does create considerable doubt about the ability of Noosa
                                  Council to manage this.

Private                       -   Dredge the river mouth before someone gets killed. It’s just a matter of time.
                              -   Boats are stranded & upturned all the time.
                              -   The so called bar is a beach not a bar.
                              -   There is no safe way to get in & out of the river.
                              -   Please investigate what action can be taken to ensure the safety of boaties on the river & do it soon before someone is killed.

Private                       -   Sand dredging of the river mouth and dog beach is important as we are having to manoeuvre constantly with the shifting sands.
                              -   The council put plenty of sand back into the Main Noosa beach it’s also important to look after the sand in the river by dredging.

Private                       -   Over the past eight years the river mouth has progressively slitted over, to the point that the water flows are affecting not only the health of the river
                                  but also those who utilize the river for pleasure.
                              -   The area desperately needs to have the bulk of the slitted sands removed.
                              -   The health of the river and all that takes it life from the river as well as those who use the river, many of whom are tourists, depends on a free and well
                                  flowing river mouth.

Lake Cootharaba Sailing       -   Dredging is required due to previous development changes to the river e.g. changing the river mouth – silting due to tree clearing upstream and boat
Club                              wash erosion and also, due to lack of rain attributed to global warming and seasonal fluctuations.
                              -   Previously the NR was dredged for access across Lake Cooroibah and into Lake Cootharaba and the mouth of Kin Kin Creek which has now silted up
                                  completely.
                              -   Commercial operators must have access to these areas to sustain their businesses.

Private                       -   Within the draft there is no mention of ‘Maintaining’ the river.
                              -   It is not in its natural form, being Man Made/Developed from First Point to Tewantin along the entire southern shore.
                              -   Consider the Dog Beach Issue, the dramatic silting up of the lower reaches (downstream from Culgoa Point).
                              -   If we are to maintain the natural environment of the rifer, I would of thought that the ‘Man Made’ sections are the obligation of ‘Man’ to maintain,
                                  particularly to ensure that water flow within the river is maintained at pre ‘Man’ interference.
                              -   Is the council prepared to undertake this responsibility? I think not.
                              -   While the latter falls under the responsibility of Infrastructure Services, it seems like a valid point that it could get a mention in the plan.

Private                       -   There will never be any commercial shipping steaming up the water way, only light water craft using the facilities provided locally.
                              -   I cannot see why it has Commercial Harbour regulations when it is only maintained as a drainage ditch.

Private                       -   Reducing the impact of overdevelopment along the river.
                              -   Resolving long term issues concerning alteration of the watercourse.

Noosa Nth Shore               -   Strategy Scope - 1.2 A System under pressure
Residents Association         -   While Council captures the issues under 3 broad categories, what this strategy fails to acknowledge or capture is the impact that historical changes in
                                  hydrology from dredging and the redevelopment of the river mouth to today's sand dredging in this location and the profound impacts that these have
                                  had on declining biodiversity, the benthic layer of the river bed and negative affects upon fish catches.
                              -   While there are other initiatives to manage and improve the river, little will markedly change unless basic hydrology is formally addressed.
                              -   Water flow rates must return back to their natural levels.
                              -   In this way sediment/sand build up/blockages will cease to have the negative domino effect back upstream throughout the river system.
                              -   This is an issue that even Council’s own consulting academics/researchers have raised and flagged as being highly significant in many studies over
                                  the past and reported upon in research studies.
                              -   This should be added to discussions and form part of the strategy immediately.

Private                       -   We have all been witnessing the massive ongoing erosion at the NR mouth over the past years.
                              -   All been witnessing State Government disregard for council plans regarding development of the NR foreshore.

Private                       -   There is a problem with the maintenance of existing channel markers and the need for more markers.
                              -   We would also like to see this fixed and some river markers lit at night.
                              -   Navigating on the NR at night is extremely hazardous.

Private                       -   Silting up of the river mouth is a very topical issue for regular river users.
                              -   Residents who were born in the area are telling us the problem has never been this bad before and it is rapidly deteriorating.
                              -   Many, many people are dismayed about the loss of Doggie beach and the failure of Council to have a contingency plan that would mitigate the loss.
                              -   It is too late for doggie beach but we need a contingency plan for the river mouth closing over due to the silting problem now occurring.
                              -   What will be the consequences if residents can’t gain access to the sea from jetties, moorings and ramps inside the river?
                              -   What will happen to the water quality and the flow on effects if the river flow is reduced to zero for most tides.
                              -   When the stagnant river water is released by a king tide will there be pollution consequences to surrounding areas i.e. closure of main beach.
                              -   Sand being pumped by Council onto main beach eventually ends up in the river mouth and is a major contributor to the current issue.
                              -   The imperative to pump sand onto main beach is accepted.
                              -   However we believe the River plan also need to deal with the side effects of this activity.

Private                       -   I also think something has to be done about our ocean entrance.
                              -   As of July when the lower estuary and ocean entrance began to be filled up with sand the fishing was certainly impacted by this, purely because the
                                  river was not clearing up quick enough and it is too shallow for a lot of fish and bait species to move in and out of the estuary.

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