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Rowing Course Deepening Feasibility Study
A report into the feasibility of deepening the Lake Wendouree rowing course has recommended that deepening the course by 0.5 metres to make it a 'high use, national, multi-water sports facility' is affordable, feasible and justifiable. The estimated cost is $2.2 million.
Download the Lake Wendouree Rowing Course Deepening Draft Report (PDF - 1196KB). This report will be considered at Council's next meeting on Wednesday, 11 April 2007.
Public Submissions
All members of the community were invited to make a submission on the above report with the closing date for submissions being 10 April 2007.
Water Supply Overview
The Lake Wendouree Water Supply Project proposal has been endorsed by the Victorian Government with the announcement by Premier Steve Bracks on 20 January 2006 of a $2.1 million contribution to the project.
A total of 20 written submissions and four verbal submissions in relation to the project were considered by Council at its meeting of 18 January 2006 and are to be responded to by the Lake Wendouree Water Supply Project Team prior to the final business case being accepted by the Victorian Government. Relevant comments are being considered in the development of the project implementation plan and will influence the final design and schedule for commissioning of the scheme.
Lake Wendouree Water Supply Task Group
Under supervision of the Lake Wendouree Water Supply Task Group, the Report was prepared by consultants Earth Tech.The Task Group, under the Chairmanship of Ballarat City Council Chief Executive Officer, Richard Hancock, actively involved Central Highlands Water, the Department of Sustainability and Environment, the Environment Protection Authority, the Department of Human Services, Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Southern Rural Water and TGM Group.
Summary of findings
The six month study examined a number of potential water supply sources for the Lake including reclaimed water from the Ballarat North Waste Water Treatment Plant, stormwater, ground water, and a reconfiguration of Lake Wendouree.The study has identified that a combination of treated reclaimed water from the Ballarat North Waste Water Treatment Plant and stormwater from Pauls Wetland in Wendouree could provide sufficient quantities of suitable quality water to sustain Lake Wendouree.
Key findings
- No single source of water will meet the quality, quantity and timing requirements to ensure Lake Wendouree meets its objectives of providing for aquatic recreation, supporting indigenous flora and fauna, and maintaining its aesthetic values.
An alternative supplementary supply utilising 600 Megalitres per annum (ML/annum) of treated reclaimed water, in combination with 230 ML/annum of diverted storm water, can deliver the necessary water quantity and quality.- The Ballarat North Wastewater Treatment Plant is to be upgraded to ensure discharges meet Environment Protection Authority (EPA) licensing requirements. With additional micro-filtration and ultraviolet disinfection the water will reach the public health standards required for safe use in Lake Wendouree.
- The naturally purified stormwater will be sourced from Pauls Drain near the outfall of the Pauls Wetland to ensure the total salinity of the supplementary water supply does not exceed 590 mg per litre total dissolved solids.
- The water supply will be delivered throughout the year and will ensure Lake Wendouree overflows during normal winter/spring periods to benefit both the lake and downstream ecosystems.
- The water quality required for supplementary supply to Lake Wendouree requires water with a total dissolved salts level of 590 mg per litre or less, treated to the Environment Protection Authoritys (EPA) Class A standard, and requires a total phosphorous level of 0.1 mg per litre or less.
- Treated waste water and potentially available groundwater exceed the required salinity levels.
- Storm water on its own does not afford a reliable supplementary source, with most stormwater being available in the winter-spring period when evaporation losses from Lake Wendouree are at their lowest.
- That to maintain the lake at its full level, or within 300mm of full 95% of the time, a supply of 830 megalitres delivered over a 10 month period is required. This will also ensure the lake spills annually, thereby reducing the accumulation of salt and nutrients.
- Re-configuration of the Lake by producing a substantial island or earthen-mound, bunded wetland within the lake to reduce the surface area, is the most expensive option considered. It also has potentially negative environmental impacts and could cause social disruption. Therefore it is not being considered within the combined options.
- The option that best fits the economic, social and environmental triple bottom line assessment criteria is the use of treated waste water (600 megalitres/annum together with storm water (230 megalitres/annum).
- The storm water can be diverted from Pauls Drain in Wendouree as this water has proven to be of low salinity and is not within a designated waterway, unlike the Gnarr Creek and Winter Creek options. As it is not within a waterway and within Councils drainage infrastructure, no extraction or diversion licence is required.
- The storm water diversion could be installed by Spring 2006 to aid the refilling of the lake prior to next summer. The treated waste water supply system is likely to take two years to commission and test before being able to supply the Lake.
- The Gong Gong reservoir and pipeline could be used to supplement storm water for the next two years subject to the level of Ballarats water supply storages and effective rainfall.
Further information
Enquiries can be directed to Council's Manager Strategy Development and Corporate Projects ianrossiter@ballarat.vic.gov.au via email or phone 03 5320 5856, or contact Customer Service 03 5320 5500.| Links |