2019-12-16 GC Agenda - Item 5 - Attachment 1 - Noosa Spit Shoreline Erosion Management Plan-Part 1

 Noosa Spit SEMP Final Report                                                                              97
 Shoreline Erosion Mitigation Options




4.3.7    Option 6: do nothing
         The ‘do nothing’ option allows the Dog Beach shoreline to recede without intervention and accepts
         the consequences of a breakthrough event which include:

         • Gradual loss of the environmental and social values associated with Dog Beach;

         • The potential for rapid morphological change at The Spit following a breakthrough event, the
           broader Noosa Woods area may be gradually lost;

         • Increased exposure to coastal hazards for existing private and commercial development;

         • Increased ‘normal’ high tide levels and reduced freeboard for existing development within the
           lower Noosa River; and

         • Increased frequency of ‘nuisance’ flooding within the lower Noosa River.

         This option assumes no immediate investment in shoreline erosion management at Dog Beach. The
         costs of intervention after a breakthrough event would be significantly greater than the cost for other
         options presented in the SEMP. The construction would be significantly more complex and solution
         likely to be a hard (rock) engineered structure. It is assumed the broader long-term costs to the
         community and local economy could be substantial in comparison to the proactive intervention
         options.

         There are several potentially extreme risks to Council associated with the ‘do nothing’ option,
         including:

         • Political risks due to the increased threat to existing development;

         • Legal challenges from impacted property owners; and

         • Financial risks due to the additional cost for mitigating risks after a breakthrough event has
           occurred.

         Full details of the risk assessment results are provided in Appendix D.




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