Ruth Young, one of the strongest driving forces behind the resurgence of interest in sailing, rowing and boatbuilding at Franklin over the past two decades has come up with these reasons Southern Water should think twice about using the Egg Island cut as its Huon River crossing point for a water pipeline (see Huon Valley Guessing Games 13, 14 and 15):
1. Egg Island Canal has been a navigation channel, suitable for shallow draft vessels for 125 years. Presently, it is only un-navigable at very low tides. It is unclear from the DA (development application) whether the placement of the concrete anchor blocks (1200mm wide x 800mm high x 600mm deep) will impede the continued use of the Canal as a navigation channel. There is no detail about the estimated height of water over the anchor blocks, particularly those that appear to be located in or close to the centre of the Canal at the eastern and western entrances, at either high or low tide.
2. While water consultants GHD provide considerable detail about possible accumulation of debris and silt on the concrete anchor blocks in the River, which is deep, no detail is provided in either the DA nor GHD’s report about the effects to navigation of accumulation of debris and silt, over time, on the anchor blocks in the Canal, which is shallow. The Canal is also a tidal channel, accumulating debris from east and west, from vegetation falling from above and from vegetation washing into the Canal from the land, north and south.
3. There is no information about whether or not the concrete anchor blocks will be visible from the Franklin foreshore, the Huon River or the Channel Highway, Cradoc, at low tide.
4. There is no evidence that MAST (Marine and Safety Tasmania) has been consulted about the impact the location of the concrete anchor blocks in the Canal will have on navigation in the Canal.
5. No consideration is given to the possibility that over time, the pipe may move from its original position in the River or Canal, as a result of current and tidal movements, nor of the impact sideways movement of the pipe might have on navigation in the Canal.
6. There is no information about the effects on birds and other fauna on Egg Islands during the construction and laying of the pipeline.
7. Words such as “smoothing” and “excavation” used to describe the removal of 35m of the river bed are suspicious. The cleaning out of the bed of a river with machinery is generally known as “dredging”. There is no really clear estimation of the amount of dredging proposed for the Canal, expressed as a volume of material removed.
8. There is no information on the impacts the development will have on the Franklin community’s recreational use of the Canal during or after construction.
9. Franklin is an Historic Town and the Canal is an important part of its history. Minimal consultation has occurred with residents of Franklin, who are most affected by the developments in River and in the Canal.
10. There is no evidence that alternative routes for the pipeline have been seriously examined, for example, the alternative of using the natural channel between North and South Egg Islands.
11. There is no evidence that alternative ways of increasing Cygnet’s water supply have been contemplated, other than a pipeline on the Huon River bed.
Young concludes: “I am particularly concerned about the loss of the aesthetic joy the Canal gives to Franklin residents; the loss of actual and potential low-impact, silent and un-polluting recreational and tourist-based activity through the Canal as a result of the proposed works in the Canal and the scant consideration given by GHD in its own report to the current recreational use and heritage value of the Canal for Franklin residents now or in the future.
“I believe an upgrading of the Huon Valley’s water Scheme is essential but alternatives that do not cause such upheaval for Franklin residents, of all species, should be explored, researched and presented.”
Image and History: HERE
