Warragamba Dam Raising

To whom it may concern,
In relation to project SSI-8441 raising of the Warragamba Dam please do not raise the dam wall. The damage that this will cause is irreversible. The national parks surrounding warragamba is magnificent and people from all over the world visit these sites. I grew up in Katoomba and frequently bush walked through the mountains, spent time in Yerranderie, Burragorang valley, Jamison Valley. Please do not raise the dam wall there is so much flora and fuana that will be destroyed.
Australia's track record of environmental destruction for money is absolutely disgraceful and we need to stop the destruction of our environment. We are like a 4th World country when it came to our environment, it is embarrassing

I have lived in the World Heritage Area for nearly 30 years and see the absolute need to protect this special area. Flooding great parts of this word Heritage area is not the solution to Urban Sydney's water problems. My child walks and plays in the bush and we choose to live here because of the environment.
The facts are that raising the dam would be a breach of Austrlia's obligation under the world heritage convention
The habitat of Unique Fauna and flora will be destroyed, such as the Regent honey eater, koala colonies, sydney's emu population
The NSw government keeps planning to build houses in unsuitable parts of sydney
I oppose the raising of the dam because it is the wrong decision, other options have not been thought through, its a lazy devastating solution and the environment and , aboriginal culture and the people loose. Its a bureaucratic irresponsible move.

To whom it may concern,
I oppose raising the dam wall.
I have been walking in the areas that will be flooded for many years, and fear losing the wilderness for my own benefit and the lives of the flora and fauna.
I grew up in Richmond flood plains and know from history it is only a matter of time til the additional developments in Western Sydney which are the true purpose of this dam will be flooded.
Please make a decision in the interests of people, plants and places, over the very small number of developers who will benefit from raising the dam wall.

To whom it may concern,
I have lived in the Blue Mountains for 20 years and have walked many of the trails. I am also a firefighter have responded to many bushfires and flooding incidents at Richmond and Windsor.
To assist in making the decision regarding raising the dam wall:
* The Blue Mountains is world heritage listed, why on earth would you want to put this status at risk?
* Flooding would lead to damage to world heritage, cultural sites and the Kowmung River, which is a wild river.
* Following what happened in WA recently and what has probably happened across the country, without being reported, why would you want to destroy cultural heritage areas?
* Australia is already leading the world and flora and fauna extinction rates, raising the dam wall what enable more of this to happen.
* Where is the rigor in looking for Koalas and platypus in a day, more effort and time would be spent on just about any other government activity?
* I was at the 2019 bushfires and saw the devistation that climate change caused to the flora and fauna, where are the reviews into the numbers of species lost?
* SMEC Engineering is banned by the world bank to conduct works in 3 third world countries, so it's ok to inflict their efforts on our indigineous populations?
* Please release the modelling and ensure that there was no political interference, influence in compiling this research.
* Why increase development on a flood plain, I know that being a government minister requires no formal qualification, however it's not rocket science. Man cannot control nature!
Finally I am completely opposed to raising the dam wall, as there has been no sensible proposal provided which does not smack of political interference of seeking developer donations. The decisions you make don't just have repercussions whilst you are in government, this will impact on present and future generations. Make your decision on what will benefit the majority of the population, considering unbiased scientific advice, developer contributions and kickbacks. Oh, and if you are using a focus group to assist in your decision making, come out and speak to real people who live in the area and consider the damage that raising the dam wall will cause!

To whom it may concern,
My family are residents of Blue Mountains for the past 8 years, and feel blessed to be able to live in a wonderful community surrounded by natural landscape that is a World Heritage listed area.
I am making this submission after receiving an information pack from Bob Debus. After reviewing information provided, besides the unnecessary and irreversible damage that would be caused by raising Warragamba Dam, am most concerned by the lack of due diligence in environmental impact assessment process thus far, which appears in no way to seriously enough consider and address the rammifications of the proposed project.
It is for the reasons above I oppose the dam raising until a more strenous process is conducted which addresses the broader issues raising the dam will have.

To whom it may concern,
I am writing to register my opposition to the raising of the warragamba Dam Wall.
From a personal perspective I value and enjoy the unique flora and fauna and the delicate eco system of the blue mountains.
I have first hand verbal reports from ecologysts who worked on the initial environmrntal asessment of the proposed project and felt their only option was to resign from their position as they felt the misreprisentation of their findings in the reports would compromise their profesional practice making them appear either incompetent or corrupt. The environmental report has been so severely compromised and selectively edited to the extent of becoming no more than properganda supporting the raising of the wall.
Raising of the wall would inundate the kwomung river (a wild river) and ultimately cause the extinction of many, some yet even undiscovered native flaura and fauna that are uneaque to the area, not to mention the criticaly endangered regent honey eater, koola colonies and Sydneys last emu population. Drowning along with them many indigenous cultural heritage sites,
No surveys of the area have been undertaken post the 2019/20 bush fires which devestated 81per cent of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area.
The proposed 17 m increase in the wall height HAS NOT been considered. In an attempt to reduce the environmental offset costs, only a height of 7.5m has been factored in. One can only question if the real reason of raising the dam wall is to allow for 134,000 new residents in the Hawksbury/Nepean flood plain.
The impact of the likley loss of world heritage status on tourisum to the area and Australias global reputation regarding its neglect of its unique environment can not be understated.
Its not to late to "give a dam" and consider the many more cost effective alternatives to raising the dam wall such as building flood evaquation roads and stopping future development in flood plain areas

I am concerned about the impact that this proposal will have on the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, it's biodiversity and the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage it contains. I am particularly concerned by the leaked reports that reveal that WaterNSW pressured the ecological assessor to understate the risks to the Heritage Area, and by the Ecological Consultants Association of NSW statement that the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme is being manipulated for political reasons. This project does not have the support of the Traditional Owners, the Insurance Council of Australia, Wollondilly Council or UNESCO and it does not have mine.

To whom it may concern,
I was born and bred in the Blue Mountains, and although I no longer live there, I value its rich biodiversity and natural and human history.
I am appalled at the plans to raise the dam wall and inundate so much of that, in what seems to be a cover-up for years of bad planning in housing development in western Sydney.
Fix the problems of western Sydney by some other means. Don't destroy this vital area of the Blue Mountains just to appease some developer mates of this dodgy Government.

To whom it may concern,
I lived in Sydney for many years and gained my dedgree in Agricultural Science there. During that time I watched the then slow and now rapid encroachment of housing and other development on the rich soil of the well named Hawkesbury floodplain. It seemed crazy to be sacrificing farmland supplying Sydney with fresh produce to roads and housing.
Hard surfaces generate run-off, exacerbating the risk of flooding, which of course takes place. The soil used to safely absorb a lot of water.
Now that all that was easily foreseen has taken place, it is proposed to raise the wall of Warragamba Dam, which will cause permanent damage to and loss of World Heritage and cultural sites. All this despite the fact that many of the watercourses which contribute to the flooding "problem" are downstream of the dam!
Please, please pay attention to history and do not add to past mistakes. Increasingly severe storm events as a result of climate change could also be considered.

To whom it may concern,
I oppose the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall.
Surely citizens of the Greater Sydney Region have already seen enough reduction and destruction of indigenous heritage, greenspace and wildlife habitat!
The NSW government accepts that climate change is occurring, and it is now more important than ever that our forested land be retained as a means of carbon storage.
Further, the Black Summer of 2019 destroyed an enormous area of vegetation within the dam catchment area and the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and destroyed the habitats of many native birds and animals, some of which are already endangered.
The ongoing destruction of valuable Gundungurra cultural sites and the knowledge deriving from those sites is at least an equally important reason to find alternatives to the raising of the dam wall.
I understand that viable alternatives exist which would protect flood prone communities and I strongly urge that those alternatives be assessed and adopted if at all possible.
We need to think of our future generations and do what we can to protect the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and all that it has to offer.

To whom it may concern,
I have lived in the Blue Mountains since 2001 and visited frequently as a child. My grandparents also lived in Katoomba for serveral years.
I regularly do bush walks in the mountains and visit lookouts and other venues.
I am concerned that the damage to our natural fauna and flaura and cultural sites caused by raising the dam wall would be a clear breach of Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention.
There must be other alteratives to raising the dam wall.

To whom it may concern,
I am extremely concerned about this proposal and I oppose the dam. The first reason is personal, the Blue Mountains has always been a much-loved area for me and a joy to go bushwalking and experience the national parks. The cultural heritage of the indigenous people and their connection to land matters!! This is a loss, loss of country, loss of artefacts, loss of species. This is as significantly devasting to the indigenous people of the area, as blowing up cultural artefacts by the mining industry. Isn't it time that we treat our indigenous peoples with the respect they deserve!! And by reason, treat 'country' with respect and care by not making decisions like this. All of us experience the health and well-being of being in nature. Stop taking nature for granted. Many Australian species are endangered or vulnerable and continuing with policies such as this is the reason why.

To whom it may concern,
• 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.
• 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,
I am a keen bushwalker and member of the Sydney Bushwalkers Club. I have spent much time in the Blue Mountains, including the Kanagra-Boyd area where the Kowmung River flows.
I believe that the Environmental Impact Statement is completely inadequate. There has been no field surveys undertaken since the devastating fires of 2019/20. Only 27% of the impact area was assessed for Aboriginal Cultural Heritage. There was no modelling of the stated flood and economic benefits of the dam wall raising outlined. Threatened species surveys are substantially less than guideline requirements. I do not believe that the EIS can be used as a tool for decision making due to these issues.
The Blue Mountains is a World Heritage area. It should be given the upmost protection in line with its World Heritage Status, not put at risk of inundation (which potentially 5,700 hectares will be). It is one of the last truly 'wild' areas close to Sydney as noted by the designation of the Kowmung as a 'Wild River' which should be protected for it's biodiversity and uniqueness. The impact that inundation would have on habitat for a number of endangered species including the Regent Honeyeater is unacceptable.
Raising the dam wall is not a cost effective solution and does not consider that 45% of floodwaters derive from areas outside of the updstream Warragamba Dam catchement.
I completely oppose the raising of the dam wall due to the reasons above.

To whom it may concern,
We need our wild life and I would like to vote against raising the warragamba dam walls.

To whom it may concern,
Stop the dam scam

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.

To whom it may concern,
I frequently enjoy hiking in the Blue mountains and agree with the UN that this proposal will have a gigantic impact on the wilderness that Australia has pledged to protect.
It will also have negative economic impacts on tourism.
There is no justifiable argument for this proposal. It should be cancelled immediately.

To whom it may concern,
It was not that long ago that I and my family were evacuated from our home with the flooding of the river.

firstly I would love to point out how undervalued an education in geography and history is today. The raising of the dam is a great indicator of a lack of education in these areas. And in our palimentarians it is a deadly deficiency.
a number of years ago penrith had a large scale model of the warragamba dam and the flood plains, I am not sure what had become of it today, but it would be a great visual on demonstrating the dangers of raising the warragamba dam.
if the floods were catastrophic with warragamba at the height it is at now, the damage caused and the floodwater reach would double or triple!!!
please send me an explanation on why it seems that quick fixes with no long term study is constantly being undertaken by our parliamentarians? It only leads to higher costs for the Australian treasury to compensate ir repair those stuff ups.

To whom it may concern,
I live in Blackheath, which is within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. I have previously walked in the Kedumba Valley and Mount Solitary area, where just ONE inundation would totally destroy all plant life under that inundation.
Over 65 kilometres of wilderness rivers, 5,700 hectares of national parks, and 1,300 hectares of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area would be inundated by the project.
The Kowmung River, a declared “wild river”, would be inundated by the project.
If the proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam proceeds, many more Gundungurra sacred sites will be destroyed. I understand that only one day was allowed for assessment of at least 1,500 Aboriginal cultural heritage sites, and that only 27 percent of the area was assessed.
Gundungurra traditional owners have not given free, prior, and informed consent for the dam proposal to proceed.
Habitat for the critically-endangered Regent honey eater, koala colonies, and Sydney’s last emu population would be drowned by a raised dam wall. Only 3.5 hours was spent looking for koalas, and only one day was spent assessing impacts on aquatic life, including the threatened platypus.
No post-bushfire field surveys have been done for threatened species since the severe bushfires of 2019/2020 devastated 81 percent of the Greater Blue Mountains Heritage Area.
Finally, I understand that a large amount of potential flooding for the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain comes from rivers other than from Warragamba Dam. Many alternatives to raising the dam wall exist, including building flood evacuation roads, lowering the full supply level of the present dam, and reducing floodplain development.