ALL FLOODGATES OPEN IN HEXHAM

[Member]

Katrina Hodgkinson MP
Minister for Primary Industries
Minister for Small Business
MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 25 July 2013
ALL FLOODGATES OPEN IN HEXHAM

NSW Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson today officially opened the final two floodgates on Ironbark Creek which is expected to bring economic, environmental and social benefits to the region.
“It is great to see the completion of the NSW Government’s Hexham Swamp Rehabilitation Project after almost 30 years of planning, research and community involvement,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“The opening of the floodgates is expected to reinstate tidal inundation to 700 hectares of land in Hexham Swamp.
“The habitats for fish, prawns and waterbirds, including migratory species from as far as the Arctic Circle are expected to increase.
“The floodgates have been opened in a staged process, during non-flood times, to restore the natural tidal exchange and inundate low lying areas with saline water to promote the re-establishment of estuarine wetland habitat.
“Hexham Swamp is an internationally recognised wetland on the Hunter River floodplain covering 1,946 hectares, just 10 kilometres from the Newcastle CBD.
“Floodgates on Ironbark Creek were constructed in 1970 to mitigate ‘nuisance flooding’ and significantly restricted the flow of tidal waters from the Hunter River into Hexham Swamp.
“The reduced tidal flows, drainage and grazing of cattle transformed the swamp from a predominately estuarine system to a freshwater one over a period of 25 years.
An Environmental Impact Statement was prepared by the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority and this has been one of its flagship projects.
ENDS

[Member]

Great news

There used to be Bass in this area hopefully they will return