Warragamba Dam Raising

I strongly object to the raising of the Warragamba wall, it will flood sensitive bushland and threaten our already decimated wildlife. Please don't do it.

To whom it may concern,
I strongly oppose the proposed raising of the Warragamba Dam.
I am an avid recreational user of bushwalking trails in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, including the area surrounding the Kowmung River which will be devastated by the dam project.
As a member of BirdLife Australia, I also have a passionate interest in the protection of habitat for critically endangered species including the Regent Honeyeater and Sydney's last Emu population.
There are many alternative options to raising the Warragamba Dam wall that would protect existing floodplain communities. Alternative options were not comprehensively assessed in the EIS.
Please reject the proposed raising of Warragamba Dam wall.

To whom it may concern,
I am against the raising of the Warragamba dam wall for two main reasons.
1. An estimated 1,300 hectares of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area would be inundated by the Dam project. The consequent damage to natural and cultural values could threaten the Unesco status.
2. Nearly 50% of floodwaters come from areas outside of the Warragamba Dam catchment so raising the dam wall will not prevent flooding downstream.

To whom it may concern,
I am writing, albeit from Victoria, as someone concerned about the proposal to extend the Warragamba dam which will impact on many thousands of acres of a world class national park, with already threatened ecological communities, and be a breach of Australia's undertaking with the World Heritage Convention.
Even as I write this I am struck by the paradox that this dam has an abviously Aboriginal name and yet I believe that over 1500 identified cultural heritage sites would be inundated by the Dam proposal.
I understand that the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report has been severely and repeatedly criticised by both the Australian Department of Environment and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) for not appropriately assessing cultural heritage in meaningful consultation with Gundungurra community members.
For these two major reasons alone, as a concerned Australian person of over 70 years of age who has seen so much environmental destruction, I oppose the raising of the dam wall.

To whom it may concern,
I live in the Hawkesbury region of north-west Sydney and believe that raising the Warragamba Dam wall will be detrimental to the people and environment of this area and to the World Heritage Blue Mountains where some of my family live. Additionally, during high rainfall and if the dam wall is raised, I understand that World Heritage and aboriginal cultural sites will be flooded, something to be avoided.
I also represent members of the Hawkesbury Environment Network where I am the Vice-Chair.
We are opposed to further development of the Hawkesbury/Nepean floodplain because of its environmental values of threatened Western Sydney woodland containing many species of flora and fauna which would be lost to land clearing and development if the dam wall is raised clearing the way for this development to occur.
During heavy rain much of the floodwater in the basin is derived from areas outside the upstream Warragamba Dam catchment leading inevitably to flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Vally downstream from rivers such as the Colo and Grose rivers as happened in the 2021 floods! Raising the dam wall will not prevent this.
Greater transparency is needed from the NSW government as it prepares the EIS for this project. More consultation with the Gundungurra people, the traditional owners of the land to be affected and more consultation with the World Heritage Committee should also occur. Consultation about flood evacuation routes should also be conducted with local councils in the area before a final decision is made.

To whom it may concern,
You must not continue with this building this dam. I am deeply disturbed that you could cause this level of distruction to one of our national parks. I have visited the Blue Mountain bushland many time since I was a child and the thought of a project like this doing any damage to this beautiful land is unthinkable.
This project will destroy the Kowmung River, a river that has been protected for close to 50 years under the National parks and Wildlife Act 1974! This will obviously put at risk many endangered and protected species in the area including the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater and also Sydney's last Emu population!
This is not to mention that you have not gained consent from the Gundungurra traditional custodians of this land before desimating the 1541 identified cultural heritage sites. This is not the way to repair the damage that colonisation has inflicted upon Indigenous culture in Australia.
I strongly oppose the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall.

To whom it may concern,
The NSW Government plans to raise Warragamba Dam’s wall 17 metres so developers can build houses on low-lying floodplains in Western Sydney.

Raising the dam wall will flood pristine wild rivers and important bushwalking areas west of Sydney.
If the dam wall is raised, more than 1,000 sites of immense cultural and historical significance in the beautiful Burragorang Valley — irreplaceable Indigenous cave art galleries and occupation and burial sites — will be drowned under metres of muddy water.

Houses in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley will not be protected by raising the Warragamba Dam wall, the main reason the government gives to justify this destruction. Almost half of the flooding in the valley comes from waters that are not controlled by Warragamba Dam.
Upstream inundation would also destroy the mighty Kowmung River, 6,000 hectares of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park, and further endanger already threatened species like the regent honeyeater and the Camden white gum.

The NSW Government recently released an environmental impact statement (EIS) that downplays – and denies – the environmental and cultural damage this project will cause.

The impact assessment was heavily condemned by several agencies:
• The National Parks and Wildlife Service said it failed to address impacts on species and ecological communities affected by last year’s bushfires.
• Heritage NSW said the EIS failed to properly consider cultural heritage values or adequately consult Traditional Owners.
• The Commonwealth Environment Department said the evaluation failed to consider impacts on iconic species like the platypus, and told the NSW Government to redo the entire heritage assessment.

It’s hard to believe that the NSW Government refused to redo this work and has carried out no further field studies since receiving those severe criticisms.

This is the most significant threat to Australia’s World Heritage in decades. There are few times in Australian history when Governments have undertaken such callous attacks on protected areas.

To whom it may concern,
I strongly believe raising Warragamba Dam is the wrong thing to do, for a number of reasons.
A key principle is that natural areas, once set aside and protected for conservation purposes, should not be significantly compromised for purposes other than those directly related to conservation. This proposal involves flooding the Kowmung river, a very high value protected area due to its remoteness and one of few remaing free flowing "wild" rivers in eastern temperate Australia. Such rivers have ecosystems very rich in native fauna and flora and each has its own unique aspects. Once flooded the eco-system is destroyed forever and nothing can replace it. Compromising protected areas means that, over time, we won't have any.
Our undertsanding of Australian native ecosystems is still growing. Much of potential wider value remains to be discovered. Destruction of any preserved eco-system reduces this potential.
The destruction of the eco-system is for questionable value. If a major rainfall event occurs when the dam is full, or if it is of the event is an extreme one (e.g. the 1867 flood), this proposal will not prevent major flooding. The money would be better spent on other mitigants.

To whom it may concern,I am an older woman who all my life have loved the Blue Mts. I have lived in and around greater Sydney for 78 years . I have spent many happy times having holidays in this beautiful area. I lived in Oberon area for 2 years near Jenolan caves. I cannot believe that anyone who has been to Kanangra Walls and seen the absolute majesty of this special place could destroy any of it.
When there is a major weather event ,the sheer size of the Blue Mts catchment means that water will come from all directions and not just into the Burragorang Valley ,so raising the wall will not necessarily help the flooding of the plain area. Flood mitigation efforts by all means but not flooding such a massive area.

To whom it may concern,
I believe that the plans to raise the height of Warragamba Dam are not in the best interests of Greater Sydney's environment or sensitive to care for sites of importance to our indigenous community.

To whom it may concern,
I live in southern Sydney and I love bushwalking, trail running and camping in the Blue Mountains Wilderness Area. The natural beauty of the area and the richness of the plant and animal life hold a special place in my heart.
I believe that there should be a more extensive and comprehensive assessment done of the ecological impacts from raising the wall of Warragamba Dam, especially in light of the devastation that occured from the severe bushfires of 2019-2020.
I oppose the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall for two main reasons. I believe the ecological destruction caused by inundating prisitine World Heritage Wilderness is too high a price to pay. Secondly, as 45% of floodwaters come from areas not in the Warragamba catchment area I don't believe raising the wall would adequately protect homes on the floodplains from flooding. I believe alternative flood mitigation measures should be properly investigated and considered and also that it should be accepted that the most flood prone areas are not suitable for development.

To whom it may concern,
I enjoy bushwalking in the Blue Mountains. It is disappointing to hear that despite the concerns of the federal government with the state environmental assessment of raising the dam wall impact on the national park has not been fully acknowledged. I oppose raising the dam wall due to the impact on Aboriginal cultural sites, the impact on the rivers above the dam wall, the impact on the wildlife and bushland in the national park above the dam wall. I am also concerned that as much of the flood waters affecting flood plain communities arise from areas outside the Warragamba Dam catchment that despite the loss of important cultural and environmental heritage raising the dam wall may not prevent flooding. A more comprehensive approach to flood management is needed.

To whom it may concern,
My family have lived for many years in the Blie Mountains. I have walked in all the valleys around Wentworth Falls and Leura.
The Capertee Valley is famous as a last habitat for the endangered regent honeyeater. It is also full of places sacred to the aboriginal people. Thirdly it is part of our grandchildren's heritage! Why drown this amazing landscape?
Alternatives are desalination, storm water control and water retreatnent. Surely you could do a lot of those for the price of,a dam wall, plus employ many people?
A long term solution must be found. One cannot go on drowning our landscape and natural heritage to funnel water to more and more ugly suburbs.
Think of the future beyond your term in Parliament.

To whom it may concern,
I am against raising the Warragamba dam and flood more wilderness and aboriginal sites only to decrease chances of floodplains to inevitably flood. Don't develop housing in flood plains or develop accordingly with inbuilt resilience to floods. Even if temporary, flooding will destroy the current ecosystem already challenged by climat change and other pressure from human activities.
I don't think you have made a proper assessment of the impacts and looked enough into alternative solutions. How about using better weather predictions and lower dam level prior to flooding?

To whom it may concern,
I am writing to oppose the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall.
I am ashamed of Australia's disregard of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and continuing endangerment of unique and threatened ecologies.
The traditional owners of the land have not given consent for this proposal and over 1541 identified cultural heritage sites would be inundated if the proposal succeeds.
The changes to the Dam will inundate several threatened ecological communities including the Grassy Box Woodland and habitat for endangered and critically endangered species including the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater and Sydney’s last Emu population.
The 2019 OECD Environmental Performance Review described the state of Australia's biodiversity as 'poor and worsening'. We need to commit to sustainable development and green growth. The danger this proposal poses to threatened and endangered species is unacceptable and contrary to the sustainable development our country needs to address biodiversity loss.
Building residences in flood plains is counterintuitive and catastrophic. I urge you to seek other alternatives.

To whom it may concern,
I am objecting to the NSW Government's proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam wall.
The floodplains that it will protect, are there to flood! This allows the water to flow naturally and support the environment as nature intended.
If the dam wall is raised, many First Nations sites of immense cultural and historical significance in the beautiful Burragorang Valley — irreplaceable Indigenous cave art galleries and occupation and burial sites - will be erased. This is Australia's culture and history, built over thousands of years ago. This is irreplaceable and can never be replaced.
Upstream inundation would also destroy the mighty Kowmung River, 6,000 hectares of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park, and further endanger already threatened species like the regent honeyeater and the Camden white gum. Our natuve flora and fauna cannot continue to be destroyed through human impact. Climates and environments are irreversibly changing for the worse.
I implore you to think of Australia's future. Our flora and fauna and history can not speak for themselves, but I am trying to achive a life for them.

To whom it may concern,
There is a seismic shift in thinking in the world that we should look at ways of living in harmony with nature rather than degrading it.
The raising of dam wall would do enormous damage to the environment of rivers and creeks that flow into Warragamba.
Australia has a national park to be proud of in the Blue Mountains World Heritage area. Currently our country has a pathetic reputation in action to protect the environment and control carbon emissions. Let's not worsen it.

To whom it may concern,
The Blue Mountains World Heritage area is not just a world class National Park, in 2000 it was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in recognition of its Outstanding Universal Value for the whole of mankind. Raising the Warragamba dam wall and consequent damage to natural and cultural values would be a clear breach of these undertakings and Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention.
An estimated 65 kilometres of wilderness rivers, and 5,700 hectares of National Parks, 1,300 hectares of which is within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, would be inundated by the Dam project. This includes:
• The Kowmung River - declared a ‘Wild River’, protected for its pristine condition under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974;
• Unique eucalyptus species diversity recognised as having Outstanding Universal Value under the area’s World Heritage listing such as the Camden White Gum;
• A number of Threatened Ecological Communities, notably Grassy Box Woodland;
• Habitat for endangered and critically endangered species including the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater and Sydney’s last Emu population.
• Over 1541 identified cultural heritage sites would be inundated by the Dam proposal.
• The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report has been severely and repeatedly criticised by both the Australian Department of Environment and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) for not appropriately assessing cultural heritage in meaningful consultation with Gundungurra community members.

To whom it may concern,
Don't flood areas of the blue mountains. Find another way to line your pockets without erasing hundreds of years of culture and heritage.

Good morning,

I wish to state my support for the proposed raising of the dam wall. It is clearly needed for protection of property and will add to supplying water to our growing city.
I am tired of the emotive campaign waged by opponents. Any development has resistance. I encourage the government to proceed with the decision to raise the dam wall.