By Raquel Mustillo
A WATTLE Range councillor has questioned claims made by OneFortyOne about the plantation adjoining Lake Leake and its impact on water levels and called for a review of the catchment area to be undertaken by the State Government.
Glencoe-based councillor Dale Price disputed several statements made in a letter from OneFortyOne Plantations general manager operations Mick Theobold addressing concerns about the effect of forestry estate on Lake Leake water discharge.
In the letter, Mr Theobold said Lake Leake was particularly vulnerable and relies entirely on rainfall and runoff from within its immediate catchment.
Mr Theobold said the plantation crop was situated higher than the lake and does not draw from the water body and suggested a drying climate was mostly responsible for lowering of water levels.
He said relationship of rainfall to lake water level was best demonstrated during the driest year in 2016 and provided an image of Lake Leake from the same period which showed that trees to the south west had been clearfelled.
The senior executive also noted the environmental benefits of the plantation, saying the crop acts as a filter to water entering the lake to improve water quality and can, in periods of high rainfall, intercept and de-energise water and reduce sediment movement.
But Cr Price said the claims were easily contested points and called for an independent review to be undertaken of the Glencoe water body.
“I find it interesting under environmental benefits of plantation that they have said it acts as a filter to water entering the lake, improving the water quality,” Cr Price said.
“We know there is bugger all water that’s getting there… so discount that.
“The letter says during periods of high rainfall, the plantation crop can intercept and de-energise water and reduce sediment movement and again, that’s irrelevant because of the substantial bank of native vegetation.
“The claim the plantation provides a windbreak benefit in water quality and evaporation rates during summer, I but note most of that is either on the south or south western sides, where most of our hot winds come west and north.
“Mr Theobold has dug deeply to try and counter our request.”
Cr Price gained unanimous support from elected members to write to Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister David Basham requesting a change to the rules governing OneFortyOne Plantations for the forest area.
The motion also calls on Mr Basham to initiate a review of the Lake Leake catchment area ultimately leading to the creation of a conservation park.
“I remind councillors that OneFortyOne got the Glencoe Nursery for nothing, absolutely nothing.
Mr Theobold told The Border Watch that the organisation referred to analysis completed by an independent hydrologist.
He said the organisation was “comfortable in the analysis that the OneFortyOne leased area represents 38ha – or 13pc of the Lake Leake catchment, is situated higher from the lake, and does not draw from the lake itself.”
“Lake Leake relies entirely on rainfall, and rainfall records from the area show a decrease in annual rainfall since 2005, and this has directly impacted lake levels,” Mr Theobold said.
“We have expressed our interest in working together with Wattle Range Council to collect further data and undertake applied research on the catchment.”
