Walcha’s move toward a long term secure water supply obviously hinges on the building of more storage. The township suffers from too frequent water restrictions and with limited supply and more demand the situation will only become worse. We don't have an adequate supply of underground water to tap into. There are basically two options on the table at this stage.
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One is what Council has been working on for a number of years, more storage in the current system. This would consist of a turkey nest style dam to be filled from the Macdonald River using existing infrastructure. Obviously this is the cheapest and quickest option, but it is questionable whether this will secure long term water security for domestic use, let alone any expansion of town or industry we may attract.
The second proposal, the "community dam" is going through a five step investigation into its viability.
The first part of this Federal Government funded study related basically to what one meg of water could produce, or value add. It covered many types of industry, from agriculture both intensive (hothouses etc) and irrigation, to aged care and timber resources. It is a very thorough document and a copy can be obtained from Council. This study was undertaken by Regional Development Australia. It is a very thorough document and a copy can be obtained from Council. This study was undertaken by Regional Development Australia.
The second part is complete and narrowed the possible sites down to four taking into account topography, soil and access. These are all up-river of Walcha with two being in the Apsley River channel and two off stream. The in river dams could have a capacity of 25,000 meg, in comparison an Olympic swimming pool holds around 2.5 meg and Chaffey Dam now holds 100,000 meg. One of the two off river storages could have a capacity of around 8,500 meg, the second 800 meg.
Current treated water usage is approximately 210 meg per year. This figure would be higher if restrictions were not in place, as low flows generally coincide with higher demand. Council has pumping rights to 379 meg out of the Macdonald River with no high flow excess. Very little data is available on water flows through Walcha with the gauge at the Apsley Falls averaging 10 meg a day earlier this month.
The third part which is just about to be undertaken will detail a water harvest plan. This is basically if enough water can be captured to warrant each selected dam.
The off river storages would need to be pumped to, one from the Apsley, but the other may be able to be topped up from both the Macdonald and Apsley systems. Time frames to complete the different dams obviously vary greatly as building large dams have and need a myriad of Government legislations to conform to.
As the Apsley River forms part of the Macleay System it also must conform to the Macleay Water Sharing Plan. This plan outlines water extraction and usage and runs for around another nine years. Currently we have no extraction licence from here.
The 1980s plan of the hydro system and dams below Walcha play no part in this investigation, and any dam below Walcha to supplement town supply has also been quashed.
Extraction and piping of water from the Tia River is also off limits.
On the other end of water anyone heading out Yarrowitch way would see that work is progressing on the updating of the sewerage treatment works. This project is vital to satisfying EPA and our own requirements for our waste water to meet and exceed minimum environmental standards.
