Environmental flows to increase if Lake Rowlands wall height lifted

For the chairman of Central Tablelands Water David Somervaille and landholder George King, raising the dam wall would bring them benefits of a different kind.

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Councillor Somervaille sees doubling the storage of the CTW network by raising the wall as one of the cheapest and most effective means by which water security would be enhanced.

"There are 14 communities beyond Blayney that are dependent on Lake Rowlands for their water and although in places like Grenfell they may have no idea that it has come from Blayney, that's how important raising the wall is," he said.

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Raising the wall would also allow for guaranteed environmental flows down Coombing Creek and further on to the Belubula River and the Lachlan.

Mr King's property Coombing Park is situated alongside the Coombing Creek and as water fills the swamps, joins ponds and recharges springs the prospect of having guaranteed flows from a raised dam wall is one that excites him.

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"I've long been a supporter of raising the dam wall as it really is a win-win for everyone," Mr King said.

"Coombing Creek is unique in many respects as the top end closer to Lake Rowlands is hard rock pools which benefit from inflows by filling, cleaning, recharging the pools with nutrients and improving the water quality."

CTW general manager Gavin Rhodes said that the report into raising the wall or building a new dam is finished and is now in the hands of the Department of Primary Industry and Environment.

"They are now doing their own modelling on the options within the report and we hope we will have a decision by the end of September," he said.