Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline Project
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Planning and Environment Act 1987 SUGARLOAF INTERCONNECTOR PIPELINE PROJECT IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO: MINISTER FOR PLANNING ‐ VICTORIA FEDERAL MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND THE ARTS: Advisory Committee: Kathryn Mitchell Darrel Brewin Stephen Hancock Nick Wimbush 16 May 2008 Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline: Project Impact Assessment Report Report of the Advisory Committee: 16 May 2008 SUGARLOAF INTERCONNECTOR PIPELINE PROJECT IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Kathryn Mitchell, Chair Darrel Brewin, Member Stephen Hancock, Member Nick Wimbush, Member 16 May 2008 Page 2 Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline: Project Impact Assessment Report Report of the Advisory Committee: 16 May 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.......................................................................................................6 PART 1: BACKGROUND......................................................................................................8 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................9 1.1 THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ........................................................................................9 1.2 TERMS OF REFERENCE ................................................................................................10 1.3 PRELIMINARY WORK..................................................................................................11 1.4 SUBMISSIONS AND HEARINGS....................................................................................12 1.5 APPROACH TO REPORT ..............................................................................................16 1.6 THE ROLE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ................................................................17 1.7 OTHER MATTERS........................................................................................................19 2. THE PROPOSAL .................................................................................................23 2.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................23 2.2 WHAT IS PROPOSED?..................................................................................................24 2.3 TIMING AND STAGING ...............................................................................................28 3. LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .............................................29 3.1 STATE LEGISLATION ...................................................................................................29 3.2 STATE GOVERNMENT POLICY ....................................................................................31 3.3 COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATION...............................................................................34 3.4 PLANNING AND APPROVALS PROCESS......................................................................35 4. COMMUNITY CONSULTATION ..................................................................39 PART 2: ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS AND IMPACTS ........................................................43 5. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT...........................................................................44 5.1 HYDROLOGY, WATER RESOURCE AND CROSSING ....................................................46 5.2 HYDROGEOLOGY ........................................................................................................50 5.3 GEOMORPHOLOGY .....................................................................................................53 5.4 GEOTECHNICAL..........................................................................................................54 5.5 CONTAMINATED LAND..............................................................................................56 5.6 GREENHOUSE GAS .....................................................................................................56 Page 3 Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline: Project Impact Assessment Report Report of the Advisory Committee: 16 May 2008 6. ECOLOGY.............................................................................................................59 6.1 FLORA AND FAUNA....................................................................................................59 6.2 AQUATIC ECOLOGY....................................................................................................71 6.3 IMPLICATIONS OF TRANSFERRING WATER ................................................................76 7. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT .............................................84 7.1 SOCIAL IMPACT ..........................................................................................................84 7.2 SOCIO‐ECONOMICS AND TOURISM............................................................................89 7.3 CULTURAL HERITAGE ................................................................................................92 7.4 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ..........................................................................................94 8. AMENITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE ...........................................................98 8.1 CONSTRUCTION DUST................................................................................................98 8.2 NOISE AND VIBRATION ............................................................................................101 8.3 TRAFFIC IMPACT.......................................................................................................104 9. RISK AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT...................................113 9.1 SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK.................................................................................113 9.2 RISK ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT...........................................................................115 9.3 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ....................................................117 PART 3: RESPONSE TO TERMS OF REFERENCE......................................................121 10. LIKELY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS .....................................................122 11. PREFERRED PIPELINE ALIGNMENT ........................................................128 11.1 GOULBURN RIVER OFF‐TAKE ..................................................................................128 11.2 SECTION A................................................................................................................130 11.3 HIGH LIFT PUMP STATION AND BALANCING STORAGE .........................................131 11.4 SECTION B.................................................................................................................133 11.5 SECTION C ................................................................................................................134 11.6 SECTION D................................................................................................................136 11.7 SECTION E.................................................................................................................139 11.8 SECTION F.................................................................................................................141 11.9 SECTION G................................................................................................................142 11.10 SECTION H................................................................................................................145 12. MITIGATION, OFF‐SET, MONITORING & MANAGEMENT.............147 13. MATTERS OF COMMONWEALTH INTEREST.......................................149 Page 4 Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline: Project Impact Assessment Report Report of the Advisory Committee: 16 May 2008 PART 4: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...........................................156 14. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................157 LIST OF FIGURES 1. The Alliance Preferred Option – the ‘blue line’ 2. Environmental Management Framework Structure LIST OF TABLES 1. Recorded Fish Species 2. Existing Traffic Volume data for Melba Highway APPENDICES 1. Terms of Reference 2. List of Submittors 3. Document List 4. Letter to Mr Skinner and Response 5. Construction Schedule Page 5 Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline: Project Impact Assessment Report Report of the Advisory Committee: 16 May 2008 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Sugarloaf Alliance, comprising a partnership between Melbourne Water Corporation, SKM, GHD and John Holland Pty Ltd, propose to construct a 70 kilometre pipeline from the Goulburn River at Killingworth Reserve north of Yea, to the Sugarloaf Reservoir near Yarra Glen. The pipeline is a major element of Victorian Government’s water policy and will deliver up to 75 gigalitres of water per annum from the Goulburn River Catchment to Melbourne. The Government is investing significant funds in the Food Bowl Modernisation Project to update irrigation infrastructure in the Goulburn‐Murray Irrigation District. It is anticipated that this project will save 225 gigalitres per annum of water in a normal irrigation year, of which one third has been allocated for Melbourne’s water supply via the Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline. The proposed pipeline route parallels the Melba Highway for most of its length. North of the Great Dividing Range the pipeline will be 1.75 metres in diameter (for 50 kilometres) and south of the Divide 1.404 metres in diameter (for 20 kilometres). Two pump stations will need to be constructed, a low lift pump station near