Warragamba Dam Raising

To whom it may concern,
We don't need more houses we need more green spaces..... we don't breathe bricks and mortar we breath air and trees are essential for our lives.

To whom it may concern, I am a land holder, I pay rates, and I vote. I do not believe that in this time of uncertainty with climate change and with the decline of habitat and our precious wildlife that we should be raising dam's and flooding an ancient ecosystem, please reconsider your proposal and maybe you could fund rainwater tanks for every household it would be alot cheaper and environmentally friendly Thank you for your time.

To whom it may concern,
Raising the dam wall is not the solution to servicing the new developments on the flood plain- the way to ensure that people have access to water is to mandate water tanks on every property.
if the water companies are concerned about losing money with this solution they can make the tanks & sell them to the residents.
when large rains fall in the Penrith & Hawkesbury areas none of that water ends up in the dam. This solution prevents unnecessary run off going into the river- which increases the algae in the river & washes chemicals & pesticides all the way along the Hawkesbury/ Nepean river.
Raising the wall and flooding the valley is not in the environmental interests of NSW. There is already mass clearing of land, which is putting our Flora & Fauna at risk of extinction.

Please think of our children's future & the people living in these areas, not the companies who will be increasing the dam.

To whom it may concern,
We live in Emu Plains, one of the areas that could be affected in a 1/100 year flood. Theoretically we should support the wall being raised, but that isn't the case. We knew full well when we bought here that the 1/100 year flood was a risk, and are insured appropriately.
We oppose the dam wall being raised. It will result in devestation of World Heritage Sites, goes against traditional owner wishes, and won't actually help with flood mitigation. The vast majority of run off into the dam causes the flooding, not the dam capacity, and once that occurs water will be released downstream regardless. There has been an inadequate level of information regarding modelling around flooding post the dam wall raising, so we have no data around whether that is even a consideration.
Until such time as reasonable information is released in regards to post wall modelling, as well as adequate environmental and cultural assessments are performed, we remain utterly opposed to any raising of the dam wall, and firmly believe there are alternative means of supporting flood mitigation.

To whom it may concern,
I wish to object to the raising of the Warragamba Dam.

My concerns are threefold. Firstly, and in my view most importantly, the area is still under mapped for Aboriginal cultural heritage. I do not want to have our government repeat the disaster of Rio Tinto in knowingly destroying cultural artifacts of the Gundungarra people.
Secondly, along with that heritage, the area has rich biodiversity that we should not put at risk. We still do not understand the extent of loss that has happened from the 2019/2020 bush fires, so to flood a significant area is planned vandalism.

Finally, the business case for proceeding with raising the wall has not adequately examined other options to mitigate risk of flooding. I believe also that tighter restrictions on further building in floodplains should be introduced.

To whom it may concern,
Please don't ruin our wilderness for the sake of greedy developers🙏🏻

To whom it may concern,
I am really concerned about the proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam wall. This will flood huge areas of wilderness with a dramatic effect on rare native species.

To whom it may concern,
The government has failed to conduct a proper environmental study on the effects of raising the damn.
It had not taken into account the potential damage it could do to our native wildlife and plants some of which are endangered.
More over, you do not have the support of your local council, indigenous people who are connected to the land or the surrounding communities who support the preservation of the land, wildlife and native fauna.

To whom it may concern,
Kindly refrain from raising the dam wall because
• 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
• 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.
• There are many alternative options to raising the Warragamba Dam wall that would protect existing floodplain communities. A combined approach of multiple options has been recommended as the most cost-effective means of flood risk mitigation.
• Alternative options were not comprehensively assessed in the EIS. Any assessment of alternatives does not take into account the economic benefits that would offset the initial cost of implementation.
• On average, 45% of floodwaters are derived from areas outside of the upstream Warragamba Dam catchment. This means that no matter how high the dam wall is constructed, it will not be able to prevent flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley downstream.

To whom it may concern,
The world heritage has only been around for 16 years and yet now you want to flood it. Not only that, you plan to have an airport nearby that will also have an impact from the sound of aeroplanes 24 hours a day. Both of these things together, break our pledge as a nation to protect this area so close to Sydney. You think the beaches are sacred but Sydney is an astonishing international city because it has world heritage on its doorstep. Don't be shortsighted, the people of Australia will never forgive the LNP and the ministers responsible for such blatant vandalism.

To whom it may concern,
• There are many alternative options to raising the Warragamba Dam wall that would protect existing floodplain communities. A combined approach of multiple options has been recommended as the most cost-effective means of flood risk mitigation.
• Alternative options were not comprehensively assessed in the EIS. Any assessment of alternatives does not take into account the economic benefits that would offset the initial cost of implementation.
• On average, 45% of floodwaters are derived from areas outside of the upstream Warragamba Dam catchment. This means that no matter how high the dam wall is constructed, it will not be able to prevent flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley downstream.

To whom it may concern,
Please do not f@@@ing mess up our already delicate wildlife.

I lived in Sydney for 20 years until recent years and I spent a lot of time in the beautiful landscapes around Warragamba and the Blue Mountains. It pains me to see more and more destruction of precious landscapes and unique and sacred places without fair and proper investigation and consideration. Hasn't NSW seen enough of their natural heritage needlessly destroyed and usually under dubious circumstances.
Please listen to the pleas of people who truly care and deserve to be heard before something is done, yet again, that can't be undone.

To whom it may concern,
I write to raise my concern regarding the raising of the wall of the Warragamba Dam. For the reasons following, I show distress and reason to consider other options and NOT flood areas of cultural and environmental significance.
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
Over 1541 identified cultural heritage sites would be inundated by the Dam proposal.

To whom it may concern,
The Blue Mountains National Park is very special to me. You can smell the eucalyptus oil in the air that gives the blue haze, see a cockatoo hundreds of meters below you from some of the lookouts. There is a stand of Wollemi pines that have been there for longer than any colonial ancestors and native species endangered now can still be found if you enjoy a hike.
Raising the dam wall won’t make developments safe any more than putting up a fence if you live at the base of a volcano. The floodwaters won’t be coming from the dam alone. The Environmental Impact Statement is so flawed, even the Commonwealth Government has criticised it, and they’ve allowed extraordinary damage to the environment over the years.
You’re not anonymous. How do you want to be remembered by history? Will your grandchildren be proud or ashamed of your decision. Are you Harry Potter or Voldemort in this? You owe it to them and the Australian people who pay your wages to seriously consider alternatives and factor in long term costs vs short term gains for an accurate cost/benefit analysis.
Once it’s gone, it’s never coming back. There’s no second chance. Do the right thing.

To whom it may concern,
Instead of raising the dam wall, wouldn't it be better to build a tunnel to divert the flood waters West of the Great Dividing Ranges?
Perhaps this tunnel could be used for road transport when there are no floods about.

To whom it may concern,

I have bushwalked here many times and the dam will ruin the environment, access, wilderness vale and beauty and aesthetics. There are alternatives to the dam and if we don't get rain, no further dams will be of any use.
Haven't you learnt from MIning destroying aboriginal sites? This is not your right to do so. And in 20-30 yrs time, will you just again make it even higher and destroy more NP, flora and fauna and public space!

• The engineering firm (SMEC Engineering) who undertook the environmental and cultural assessments for the project have an established history abusing Indigenous rights, recently being barred from the world bank.
• Severe fires during the summer of 2019/20 devastated 81% of Blue Mountains Heritage Area. No post-bushfire field surveys have been undertaken.
• Only 27% of the impact area was assessed for Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.
• Threatened species surveys are substantially less than guideline requirements. Where field surveys were not adequately completed, expert reports were not obtained.
• No modelling of the stated flood and economic benefits of the dam wall raising are outlined in the EIS.
• The integrity of the environmental assessment is fundamentally flawed, and cannot be accepted as a basis for further decision-making by the Minister for Planning.
• 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:
o The Kowmung River - declared a ‘Wild River’, protected for its pristine condition under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974;
o Unique eucalyptus species diversity recognised as having Outstanding Universal Value under the area’s World Heritage listing such as the Camden White Gum;
o A number of Threatened Ecological Communities, notably Grassy Box Woodland;
o Habitat for endangered and critically endangered species including the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater and Sydney’s last Emu population.
o 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.

Gundungurra Traditional Owners have not given Free, Prior and Informed Consent for the Dam proposal to proceed

Gundungurra Traditional Owners have not given Free, Prior and Informed Consent for the Dam proposal to proceed

To whom it may concern,
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.

What you may not know is that 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.

To whom it may concern,

The issue of raising the Warragamba dam wall raising is something I feel very strongly about .For numerous reasons;
-the wilderness that will be destroyed if the dam wall is raised ( so what is the purpose of the area having World Heritage listing if it can just be ignored when it is convenient to do so?)
-the loss of habitat and therfore the loss of species or a reduction in their numbers and biodiversity
-the loss of significant sites to aboriginal Australians
-the flawed rationale behind the scheme that raising the dam wall will reduce the risk of flooding .Not true.I will let this be outlined by the experts as has already been done
-this is a flood plain! High density urbanisation should never have been allowed to go ahead in this area.It would have served Sydney much better if it had remained part of the food growing region of the city.Putting more development on the flood plain and the false belief that raising Warragamba dam wall height will stop problems with flooding is a nonsense-and a nonsense with dire consequences
I wiil not condone this proposal and will actively join with others to try to see it never eventuatea

To whom it may concern,
I strongly object to the NSW government plans to raise Warragamba Dam wall. I live 5 minutes walk from the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park and I am a keen bush walker. 80 percent of our magnificent Park was burned in the 2019-20 bushfires, and since then no comprehensive surveys have been undertaken to ascertain the extent of recovery of flora or of fauna. This plan to destroy a further vast section of the Park is in clear breach of the government's obligations under the World Heritage Convention to protect an area which has been recognised as having Outstanding Universal Value for the whole of humankind.
After the fiasco of Rio Tinto's destruction of Juukan Gorge which made horrified headlines worldwide, it would seem reasonable to expect that this government would pay more respect to the traditional owners of the land in question, the Gundungurra people, who have made clear their total opposition to the plan which will result in loss of significant sites and monuments, not to mention 5700 hectares of their traditional lands. The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment received a FAIL from the International Council on Monuments and Sites. Are we to take it that the NSW government is following a Trumpian model in arrogantly ignoring advice from erudite Australian and international bodies when it receives advice it does not like?
Several experts have expressed the view that no matter how high the dam wall is, it will not be able to prevent flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley downstream. Up to 45% of floodwaters derive from areas outside of the upstream Warragamba catchment. The government's intention to raise the dam wall in order to build hundreds of thousands more houses on the Hawkesbury floodplain is patently ridiculous. What insurance company will insure these homes? The history of towns like Gundagai and Lismore hold a salutory tale for the folly of building on floodplains in this country of increasing climatic extremes.
The government's efforts would be better spent in properly exploring a number of alternative options that have been recommended, were not thoroughly assessed in the EIS, and would more cost effectively protect the homes of people already living on the floodplain.