Tuesday 27 April 2010

Tony Kelly & West Yamba: none so blind as those who will not see



Yamba in flood in May 2009
West Yamba shown in the top half of the photograph from The Daily Examiner

Planning Minister Tony Kelly claims he has reviewed all the evidence before approving the development of West Yamba. Did he consider the Yamba Floodplain Risk Management Study (Webb, McKeown and Associates Pty Ltd July 2008) commissioned by Clarence Valley Council? If he did, he is ignoring the following:

 The height of land in West Yamba "generally lies between 1.0m and 1.5m AHD" (p.36) and the 1:100 ARI (once in a hundred years) flood level is 2.34m. The study goes on to say that 'an average of 0.8m of fill across the site is required to meet current Council guidelines'. (That figure itself is conservative, as it implies that the average height of land is 1.54m AHD, somewhat more than the stated 1.0m - 1.5m AHD.)
 1.3 million cubic metres of fill will be required to bring the land to 2.34m AHD (page 37).
 The study acknowledges that it is unlikely that dredging for such a large volume of fill would be approved. Therefore the fill would have to be brought by truck.
This equates to a 20 tonne truck trip every six minutes (including return) for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year for 9.5 years (page 37).
 The Clarence Valley Draft Local Environmental Plan 2010 recommends a floor level of 1:100 ARI plus 0.5 metre freeboard.
 The additional 0.5m freeboard would bring the floor levels for buildings in West Yamba to 2.84m AHD. Even if the whole area is not filled to that level, it is clear that something of the order of 1.8 million cubic metres of fill will be required. It follows that bringing 1.8 million cubic metres will take something in excess of 13 years.

The impact of 270,400 (give or take a few) 20 tonne truck trips on local roads, traffic and the community has also been ignored by the Minister. So has the obvious point that the water which inundates the West Yamba area in times of flood will have to go somewhere – but where? (It should be noted that sea level rise associated with climate change has NOT been included in the consultant’s calculations. CSIRO estimates a rise of up to 0.91 metres by the end of the century – that is, in old terms, another 3 feet!)

Truly there are none so blind as those who will not see.


Gary Whale
Yamba

* GuestSpeak is a feature of North Coast Voices allowing Northern Rivers residents to make satirical or serious comment on issues that concern them. Posts of 250-300 words or less can be submitted to ncvguestspeak at live.com.au for consideration.

2 comments:

West Yamba Dave said...

Great quote Gary - now recite it 20 times while looking into a mirror!!!!

After 20 odd years of planning reports, submissions & now human induced climate change fairytales the Council & the LABOUR govt have finally approved this rezoning.

Thats right Gary, the Govt studied & analysed all the reports you mentioned & determined that it was appropriate to proceed.

Just because u & your Valley Watch band of stop every development coz we are here now, latte sippers dont agree with him does not make him blind to the facts.

Very much looking forward to you & your organisations all too familiar objections & to once again smash your feeble little organisation out of the ball park - just as we have done many times in the past.

Bring it on !

David Mitchell
West Yamba Land holder

Anonymous said...

So [redacted by NCV Admin.] Dave what interest do you have in this, money I guess. Seems like you have head in the sand when it comes to coastal management issues an natural climate change (that's right natural not man induced), or maybe its just another case of an uneducated man with a big mouth.

Anonymous

12 May 2012 12:37 PM