kanamaluka Headwaters Natural Restoration Plan 2021 - 2025

Tamar River Headwaters Natural Restoration Plan 1

This Restoration Plan.

The Tamar Yacht Club, on behalf of other stakeholders, has developed this restoration Definition - The Headwaters of the Tamar plan based on the best available engineering River (kanamaluka) are defined by the area of and academic bodies of work that primarily the confluence of the South Esk with the focus on a return to the natural conditions of Tamar, forming the Yacht Basin from the the Tamar River (kanamaluka) headwaters that Kings Bridge to the North Esk confluence as existed prior to the construction of the well as the contiguous zone known as Home Trevallyn Dam and Power Station. Reach from Home Point to Ti Tree Bend.

Tamar River Headwaters Natural Restoration Plan 2

The Tamar Yacht Club (TYC) is one of the oldest Yacht Clubs in the southern hemisphere and is amongst the longest existing landholders in the headwaters of the Tamar River.

POSITION STATEMENT

1. The TYC has taken the decision to enter and lead the community debate regarding the future of the Tamar River.

2. The TYC will now focus on the overdue return of the Tamar River to its fully natural state as existed prior to the hydro development.

Tamar River Headwaters Natural Restoration Plan 3

OUR PLAN

The TYC Plan is to facilitate the first step in the

restoration of the Tamar River headwaters area to its natural state, as existed prior to the Trevallyn hydro development.

This Plan... 3. Is proposed following the public

announcement that the Tasmanian and 1. Corrects a problem caused by the Australian Governments are both construction of the Trevallyn hydro actively advancing the development of a development which was built in the 1950’s, major new regional sewerage treatment by directing the flow back into the plant further downstream, as part of the headwaters of the Tamar River. Were the City Deal. Trevallyn Power Station be built to today’s

standards, no such problem would exist. 4. Accepts that modest levels of adaptive

management techniques, such as silt bank 2. Begins a substantial return to the full, moderation may still be required to "give natural dynamic flow of water to the tidal nature a hand” in maintaining the essential prism contribution of both of the subsidiary amenity of our beautiful and iconic Tamar South Esk and North Esk Rivers on the River. outgoing tides.

5. Proposes funding solutions for the various chaIlenges.

Tamar River Headwaters Natural Restoration Plan 4

SUMMARY OF THE PLAN

Addressing the Problems

The Headwaters of the Tamar River contains The efficient run-of-the -river Trevallyn turbid waters and mobile flocculated silt, Power Station and its Trevallyn Dam needs to which are further subject to periodic continue to operate, given the clean-power injections of storm-flush raw sewage (which contribution these assets make to the is planned for correction). electricity grid in .

Intractable silt banks, particularly after the However, the construction of the power station cessation of raking efforts, are beginning to in 1955 meant the flow was directed to the again appear at mid to higher tides. nearest point in the River, stranding and starving the Headwaters of the Tamar River of The First Basin of the , just flowing, clean, fresh water for the ensuing 65 upstream of the Headwaters zone, is the years. benchmark for the appropriate and sustainable water quality levels in the Fortunately, a potential discharge point for the Headwaters zone. water which ensures flow into the headwaters is only a short distance away at the point The First Basin is a much loved natural, where the volume of water would have swimming spot within minutes of the City. naturally appeared, had no power station been With a staged, coordinated approach to all of built. the issues of water quality in the Tamar River headwaters, it is absolutely possible to Home Reach suffers from a substantial contemplate recreational swimming in the shortage of dynamic volume in the outgoing Yacht Basin, in the same clean waters as just tidal prism contribution from both of the Esk upstream in the First Basin. Rivers.

The Tamar River Headwaters should be among This has been identified as being due, in as Launceston's and the Tamar Valley's prime much as it relates to the North Esk, to the assets, with proud residents and appreciative historic infill of former inter-tidal flats along visitors taking up boating, swimming and the lower North Esk and the placement of fishing opportunities from multiple easy - some flood mitigation levees. access points to the River.

Tamar River Headwaters Natural Restoration Plan 5

THE SOLUTION

Natural Restoration Plan

This plan gives back the South Esk's missing volume of annual, fresh, clear water to its previous, natural recipient area, the Headwaters of the Tamar River.

TYC rejects any notion that the Trevallyn Power Station should be shut down and that the Trevallyn Dam should be demolished. In terms of the environmental and social Our Plan sees the owner of the Trevallyn integrity of the Battery of the Nation program, Power Station, Hydro Tasmania, being it is expected that Hydro Tasmania will encouraged by the Company's owners, the embrace this project as a valuable investment. State Government, to accept that its development of the Station, at its Any failure to accept this responsible stance commissioning in 1955 erred, in that the then will maintain the clogged, discoloured and HEC made the decision to direct the outflow turbid Tamar River Headwaters as a stark of the new station to the current short reminder to all Australians that their proposed Tailrace at Ti Tree Bend. huge investment in Tasmanian hydro - electricity is not actually as "clean" an As a result of the above, the majority of the investment as it should be. total flow of water down the system, which drains a huge catchment, has Should Hydro Tasmania fail to act, we will call for the last 65 years been bypassing the upon the State Government to impose a Headwaters of the Tamar River. standard Community Service Obligation on the Corporation, which will separate this With major funding available from Federal expenditure from corporate considerations in sources, supporting the Battery of the Nation favour of its shareholder; with a requirement initiatives for the upgrading of demonstrably to accept responsibility for past decisions. clean power stations and water storage in Tasmania, Hydro Tasmania should be required to restore the natural flow of the South Esk River to the headwaters of the Tamar River.

This project will be of a relatively minor scale in Hydro Tasmania's capacity to deliver world class water management projects and have a likely project investment value of around $30 million.

Tamar River Headwaters Natural Restoration Plan 6

THE RESULTS

Only those locals with an active memory of There will no-doubt be other works which can the Tamar River Headwaters in 1955 or earlier be completed by governments and other will have witnessed the natural state of the organisations in the future to help rectify river, as yet undisturbed by the Trevallyn issues in other areas of the river. hydro development. Upon the completion of the project, the The Tamar Yacht Club strongly believes that headwaters of the Tamar River will have a this Plan represents the only realistic and substantial volume of the natural flow restored practical plan possible to restore flow to the to the area that is most visible to locals and headwaters of the Tamar River to their natural visitors alike, as well as restoring a natural state. recreation area to the heart of our city.

The Tamar Yacht Club is not suggesting that the restored flow will be a silver bullet to rectify the condition of the river.

CBD

TAMAR YACHT CLU B

EXISTING ROWING COURSE

YACHT BASIN

TAILRACE DISCHARGE TAILRACE OVERFOW SPILLWAY

HOME REACH TAMAR RIVER

TAMAR ROWING CLU B

W ETLAN DS/BIRD REFUGE TAMAR MARINE NEW TAILRACE

VARIOUS SPORTING FACILITIES

W ETLAND/BUSH WALKS ENHANCED PLAY AN D FAMILY AREA

RIVERSIDE TREVALLYN POWER STATION SOUTH ESK RIVE7 TREVALLYN

ENHANCED VISUAL ASPECT FROM ELEVATED SUBURBS

TAIL RACE DIVERSION LEGEN D

FUGURE - PROPOSED INDICATIVE LAYOUT

7

Tamar River Headwaters Natural Restoration Plan 8

THE RESULTS

Only those locals with an active memory of The Tamar Yacht Club is not suggesting that the Tamar River Headwaters in 1955 or earlier the restored flow will be a silver bullet to will have witnessed the natural state of the rectify the condition of the river. There will no- river, as yet undisturbed by the Trevallyn doubt be other works which can be completed hydro development. by governments and other organisations in the future to help rectify issues in other areas of the river.

The Tamar Yacht Club strongly believes that Upon the completion of the project, the this is the only realistic and practical plan headwaters of the Tamar River will have a possible to restore flow to the headwaters of substantial volume of the natural flow restored the Tamar River to their natural state. to the area that is most visible to locals and visitors alike, as well as restoring a natural recreation area to the heart of our city.