Warragamba Dam Raising

To whom it may concern,
A 17 year old girl is writing to you in opposition to the raising of the Warragamba Dam Wall. I love our bush. All my friends love our bush. We love to walk and laugh and observe the wildlife and tread mindfully on our earth and listen to the trees. I just don't understand why our government would want to put all of our precious World Heritage Listed land and more (1541 indigenous sites that give the Gundungurra people a real, tangible connection to their dreamtime stories) in jeopardy. There are so many proactive alternatives for flood management (rerouting water, urban rivers, restoring our natural river systems and wetlands, permeable urban areas, reconnecting natural floodplains, etc). I want to see my government strive to preserve our corner of the world. I want to see them make an effort to keep our culturally and ecologically rich and diverse land safe. Wouldn't that be beautiful?

To whom it may concern,

As a resident of Katoomba for 15 years I feel it is incumbant on me to make a submission regarding the flawed proposal to raise the the Warragamba Dam Wall.
As a keen bush walker and someone whio has grown to love and value the magnificent Blue Mountains I am extremely concerned that The world heritage and cultural sites are under attack. I dont think the EIS addresses or has even considered the alternatives to raising the Dam Wall. Environmental Scientist Professor Jamie Pittock has noted that no configuration of the Dam will prevent flooding and that most floodwaters originate from catchment areas which are not upstream of the dam. He states that the 5000 most flood prone properties plus those still to be developed would not be impacted by the Dam and would flood from lower catchment areas. The question being should 1000's of new homes be built on a floodplain?!!!
All this is at the expense of market gardens, desalination projects quality of life and taking no account of the wishes of the Gundungarra Traditional Owners . It saddens me that alternative projects have not been considered. In all a huge failure of the EIS.

To whom it may concern,
• I oppose the raising of the Warragamba dam wall.
The Blue Mountains are a favourite bushwalking place.
Traditional owners are opposed to it as it will destroy Aboriginal heritage sites. SMEC engineering have a bad record in this regard and have been barred from the World Bank.only 27% of area has been assessed for Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.
As most water comes to floodplain from areas outside the Warragamba Dam, raising the Wall is a nonsense.
Why are we destroying a World Heritage area to placate developers? They will build their environmentally unsustainable houses, destroy native flora and fauna, have scant regard for either floods or fires, take their money and leave. Leaving tax payers to pick up the bill for flood/ fire damage.
• Since the inferno fires of 2019/29 no bushfire assessments have been done.
If the government wants more water, a sustainable environment and more housing options it should be addressing recycling water, heatproof houses, koala corridors and a better lifestyle for its citizens. Not raising a dam wall to please developers. Covid has taught us how important green areas like the Blue Mountains National Park are for society's mental health and quality of life. The populace does not want a World Heritage area divided in favour of developers. Build more public housing and infrastructure in accessible areas instead of lining the pockets of fly-by-night developers.

To whom it may concern,
My name is Peter Lammiman and I have lived in Katoomba for over 12 years and associated to the Blue Mountains for over 20 years. I am a retired health worker. I make this submission based on information from local media as well as reports and environmental assessments that have been made public.
It is my undestanding that the NSW state government has failed to follow the procedures, guidlines and independent advice required to make a sound decission in relation to raising the Warragamba dam wall. Raising the dam wall will not according to Andrew Hall CEO of the Insurance Council of Australia prevent the floodplains flooding and have dropped their support for this proposal. NSW National Parks & Wild life Service are on record as calling the draft EIS's report 'invalid and inadequate'. The National Trust in their review drew attention to the issue of the 'outstanding biodiversity' of the area upstream of the dam that would be impacted. I believe the NSW state government through WaterNSW has been pushing its environmental consultants to downgrade the dangers to threatened species from riasing the Dam wall in its EIS ( Angus Thompson. SMH 27 Oct 21).
Matt Kean NSW environment minister was reported as saying 'inundation, temporary or permanent was going to inpact upon the Greater Blue Mountians World Heritage area. Whether it's temporary or permanant, it's going to have and inpact (ibid).
This proposal should not be followed through it's flawed dangrerous and destructive Say No to raising of Warragamba Dam .

To whom it may concern,
I am a regular bushwalker and overnight camper in the Blue Mountains. I have often visited, and camped beside, the Kowmung and Coxs Rivers and their tributaries, in areas which will be flooded by the proposed greatly enlarged Lake Burragorang, which will result from raising the Warragamba dam wall by 17 metres.
I strenuously object to the proposal to raise the Warragamba dam wall. Please make sure that this proposed dam wall raising project is refused for the following reasons.
1. Raising the dam wall does not protect downstream wetlands and floodplain development from flooding. These floodplains receive almost half of their floodwaters from other sources which are not captured by Warragamba Dam. It is folly to believe that downstream flood protection will result from raising the dam wall.
2. Floodplains:
- any vulnerable properties already located in these floodplains should be given a relocation option, and
- 35,000 homes proposed for the flood prone areas should proceed no further
- serious public liability is attached to any approvals in flood prone land. And any future residents will not be able to insure their homes
- floodplains are important wildlife habitat and
- floodplains grow much of Sydney's fresh food close to market.
It is imperative that this madness is stopped. Floodplains cannot be protected from flooding, they will flood - it is a geographic impossibility to keep them dry, particularly with increasingly intense rain events as the climate warms
3. Upstream inundation: the Kowmung is one of the least despoiled rivers in the Blue Mountains. The area is one frequented and loved by many bushwalkers. Much of it will vanish underwater
4. Biodiversity loss: damage to vegetation and wildlife is irreversible following long periods of inundation. Vibrant ecosystems will be replaced with dead zones when water levels are low.
5. Aboriginal cultural heritage: thousands of years of cultural respect will be flooded in an instant. This is just as irresponsible as blowing up Juukan Gorge. When will we understand Aboriginal values and respect their pleas to care for their special places. We continue to ignore Aboriginal knowledge and understanding of this country at our peril, as witnessed by the intensity of the 2019-20 bushfires.
6. Conclusion: the natural environment and its Aboriginal caretakers are not to be taken for granted or treated as impediments to "progress". Enough damage has been done, and instead of more vandalism, we should be increasing our investment in caring for this wonderful country. Please do not approve this narrow minded, poorly conceived and irresponsible project.

To whom it may concern,
I have grown up in the Mts and love the environment. I am an avid bushwalker and belong to the Upper Mts bushwalking club. I work in the health sector and in disaster recovery and find hiking very therapeutic for my health and wellbeing.
As someone who loves nature, I find the prospect of raising the dam wall very confronting. I am against this proposal on environmental grounds:-

1. The National Parks Association has labelled the wall raising as "the largest destruction of conservation lands ever proposed, let alone approved in New South Wales".
2. The Greater Blue Mts National Parks is World Heritage listed. If we go ahead with this wall raising, it will be destroyed. 6000 thousand hectares of National Park Land and 65 ms of protected wild river bank will be inundated for weeks at a time. This will breach our obligations under the World Heritage Convention. Our beautiful environment is the reason so many tourists come to the Mts to go hiking- it is a tourist drawcard.
3. The Kowmung river will be inundated by the project. This river is a pristine and declared "Wild River". How many countries in the world can declare that?
4. We lost billions of koalas and other animals during the black summer bushfires.
The dam wall will destroy koalas habitats. Already these colonies are pressured by deveopment on the other side of the river (Figtree Hill and Lend Lease Development) and this is healthy, disease free koala habitat. Only 3.5 hours was spent looking for koalas during this assessment! How is this a reliable measure?
Also the habitat of the regent honeyeater and the emu will be destroyed by this dam wall raising. There has not even been any post bushfire field surveys been undertaken.
In regards to aquatic life, only a single day was spent assessing the impacts - including the Playtpus, also a threatened species.
I also object to this proposal as it will severly impact on Aboriginal culture heritage and there has only been one day spent on the field on cultural heritage!

I think this proposal is dubious because it really is hiding the fact that the NSW liberal government has a plan to put 135,000 new residents on the Hawkesbury/Nepean river. It is really just an opportunity for developers to get into this area without any regard for what kind of environmental and social impacts that will have.
Despite the NSW Government's claims, the dam wall is not going to stop flooding. The former SES Deputy Commissioner and flood expert, Chas Kays, has stated that the project is "flawed" and "should not be proceeded with".

To whom it may concern,
I write to oppose the NSW Government plan to raise the Warragamba dam wall.
As a resident of the Blue Mountains I spend much time bushwalking in this area and have a strong appreciation of the beauty and diversity of this part of the world.
I am extremely concerned that this proposal will destroy vast areas of this World Heritage Area, and the threatened species it contains.
It is also of great concern that at least 1500 indigenous cultural sites would be inundated by raising the dam wall.
We must place greater value on our natural landscape, it's history, and its importance for all our futures. I urge the government to find alternatives without these devastating impacts.

To whom it may concern,
I write to voice my opposition to the proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam wall on account of its impact on biodiversity and cultural heritage.
As a Sydney resident and lover of the outdoors, I value having true wilderness on my doorstep. I spend many weekends a year exploring the the Blue Mountains and I hope that my daughter will one day be able to do the same. More importantly, I hope that the unique flora and fauna of the area will endure long after I'm gone.
The Black Summer bush fires clearly show how fragile our native bush is in the face of climate change and it seems inconceivable that we would willingly destroy such a large swathe of it through this project. Habitat protection is more important than ever. The fact that no surveys have been undertaken following these catastrophic bushfires is a great source of concern.
The threatened species surveys undertaken as part of the project's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) are substantially below the guideline requirements. As such I have no confidence that we are adequately protecting the biodiversity of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area as a whole, especially given that the area is already under stress as a result of the recent bushfires. Further, there are 1541 identified cultural heritage sites that will be flooded as a result of this proposal - it's not just biodiversity but cultural value (both key elements of a World Heritage listing) that will be diminished.
Finally, the economic/development argument does not appear to stack up: 45% of floodwaters in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley derive from areas outside of the Warragamba Dam catchment. The environmental damage clearly outweighs the economic benefits. Surely there are alternatives that should be investigated before we undertake such a drastic action.
I trust the Minister will consider this and other submissions, and recognise that the EIS is flawed. This project should not proceed.

Walesin reading the various arguments about raising the wall of the Warragamba Dam, I submit my opinion. I think that the proposed raising of the dam wall to the really alarming extra height of 14 to 17 metres would cause damage to the area of National Park above the dam

To whom it may concern,
1. Raising the dam wall will result in small to medium level floodwaters being retained. This means that submerged vegetation is destroyed, weed infestation occurs, the Greater Blue Montains Heritage Area is compromised and valuable Aboriginal cultural heritage is lost.
2. Any future state government could be pressured to permanently increase the water storage, worsening the above damage.
3. It is highly likely yhat further urban development on the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain will eventuate. However there will be continuing flood events from overstorage and flooding from downsream of the dam site that will affect an even greater population.
The risks from and consequences of a higher dam wall are too serious and damaging for the project to proceed.

To whom it may concern,
I am a former resident of the area around Dyarubbin (the Hawkesbury-Nepean River) and a long-time bushwalker in the Blue Mountains. I am expressing my deepest concerns regarding the proposal to raise the Warragamba dam wall and inundate both Gandangara Country and habitat for non-human species. The river's propensity to flood has been known to settlers since colonisation, yet floodplain development continues apace. We should not be building further permanent settlements on floodplains, especially as climate change threatens the stability of weather patterns. The proposed dam wall raising project will not 'future-proof' the valley, as flooding upstream of the dam will continue. I urge you to rethink this proposal, consult further with Indigenous custodians and consider alternative solutions.

To whom it may concern,As a Blue Mountains resident ,horticulturist,environmentalist and keen bush walker it is with great concern that Warragamba dam wall is to be raised.The impacts would be monumental on a wide range of plant,animal,insect,bird and animal species.The back flooding would cause a damaging domino effect throughout the world heritage area.Our responsibility to the environment for our future in the mountains and the Sydney basin requires more responsible planning than a quick fix solution.Long term water management and town planning strategies need to be implemented before more long term environmental damage occurs.Walls can be built quickly.Extinction is forever.

I Support The raising of the dam wall
By Stopping or delaying rising floodwaters it would save millions in property and infrastructure damage during extream flooding conditions and give more time to evacuate potentially saving many lives . During the 1867 Flood my great grandfather and his family were evacuated from the second story windows of his house.they were taken to the court house where the floodwater was just under the floor. Evacuation as it is today maybe in the night and pouring rain would be a NIGHTMARE Timing regarding speed of the rising water the weather forecast and the discharge rate of Warragamba dam this information would be needed hours in advance to have any chance of evacuation.
I think any damage to the environment behind the dam would be minimal du to slow rising water with no strong currents

To whom it may concern,
I strongly oppose the Warragamba Dam Raising Project. I've been walking in the Wild Dog Mountains & Kowmung River area for over 25 years. It's mind boggling that the NSW Government would threaten a World Heritage Area coupled with the Federal Liberal position on Climate Policy? That the NSW Government would intentionally flood and severely threaten pristine, precious, ecological communities & cultural heritage is insane.
Alternative options were not comprehensively assessed in the EIS report. After a severe bushfire, field surveys were not even adequately completed. No modelling of the stated flood and economic benefits of the dam wall raising are outlined in the EIS. With the widespread pork barrelling within this NSW Government I cannot believe that the Minister for Planning is even entitled to make the decision on the raising of the Warragamba Dam. 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.
If this Warragamba Dam raising development is approved, this will not be the end of the story. Widespread local political action will be taken in the Upper Blue Mountains & surrounding regions to stop this criminal, thoughtless and cynical action by the NSW Liberal Government.
It is accepted that the flood plain communities were given very poor advice to be allowed to build where they are in the first place. However destroying the ecology of the Kowmung River, to right a wrong that smacks of corrupt land development by private, local and State Governments is apalling. It's clear that there are very practical alternatives that will mitigate the threat of flooding to the plains communities without raising the dam wall.
We are in an ecological crisis with Climate Change. To intentionally flood a World Heritage ecological site is beyond belief. I sincerely hope that the NSW Government and the EIS come to their senses and categorically rule out this development.

To whom it may concern,
I am a previous resident of Sydney who spent a many of my weekends exploring the national parks and protected areas within and surrounding the city. These wonderful experiences have continued to motivate my efforts to protect the locations I once visited.

I believe that the proposed raising of the Warrangba dam wall will have devastating consequences for surrounding wild rivers as well as indigenous landmarks and place the survival of certain species of flora and fauna at risk. Extensive areas will be inundated by silty water which will destroy expanses of habitat and thereby further endanger threatened species. Areas of nature enjoyed by bushwalkers will no longer be accessible. This proposal is likely to destroy the protected Kowmung River.

I am opposed to increasing the height of the Warrangba dam wall for the consequences stated. I believe that the environmental impact has not been adequately assessed. Serious concerns made by the National Parks and Wildlife, Heritage NSW, and the Commonwealth Environment Department have not been addressed. It is my understanding that the proposed Warrangba dam project will not solve the issue of flooding of houses in the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley and that there are alternative solutions.

To whom it may concern,
As a father and a NSW resident, I have serious concerns about the proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam wall. I wish to politely but firmly express my opposition to the proposal.
There are many moral and environmental reasons to oppose this idea. Traditional owners have not been properly consulted nor have they given their consent to the work. Some surveys suggest that thousands of priceless heritage sites will be destroyed; and it's hard to judge the full impact because these surveys are incomplete! There are likely to be many more culturally sacred sites ruined by this proposal. What value has been placed on these sites as part of the decision-making process?
Raising the Dam wall will also be disastrous for fragile ecosystems in the affected area. Many species of native animals and plants will be put at risk. After the fires of 2019 and the rising risks of climate change, how it is sensible to add to the strain?
This area is home to Sydney's last viable emu population, beautiful endangered birds including the endangered regent honeyeater, and many more.
The shortcuts taken in the environmental impact assessment process show that the risks to native wildlife and precious ecosystems aren't being taken seriously.
But perhaps the most powerful argument against this proposal is that it simply won't work.
Almost half of floodwaters in the affected area are derived from outside the Warragamba Dam catchment. So we can raise the Dam higher and higher but it won't prevent flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley downstream.
What does that mean for the residents who move into new building sites that this proposal opens up for development? It will be yet another case of the developer walking away with hands in pockets while home owners struggle with the risk of more frequent and more devastating floods in the area. Put simply, this area is not suitable for the type of development that underpins the proposal to raise the Dam wall.
There are better, more cost-effective ways to protect communities from flooding than raising the Dam wall.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my concerns; thank you for considering my submission (and all the others) as part of your decision-making process. I pray you read through these diligently and carefully and make the right decision to reject the proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam.

To whom it may concern,
I have spent my whole life surrounded by the beauty and wisdom of the Blue Mountains bush. I have walked through the valleys and gazed down at the forest from lookouts above. I feel honoured to have had the privilege to live the first 17 years of my life in such an area. The fact that I may have to witness the home of 48 threatened plant and animal species, ancient river valleys and rare dry rainforests submerged in water is a horrifying thought.

There are precious, native animals that rely on the bush and rivers (that the proposed Warragamba Damn wall raising is set to destroy) to provide them with the five freedoms all creatures legally have a right to. If you are unaware of what those are, allow me to enlighten you: Freedom from Hunger and Thirst, Freedom from Discomfort, Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease, Freedom to express normal behaviour and Freedom from Fear and Distress. You can see how the majority of these freedoms would be violated by flooding the natural environment of many native birds, mammals and reptiles.

If you are still unable to see the horror of what will happen to the natural environment when it is engulfed in the raising of the Warragamba Damn wall, then I will try from another angle. History is a valued part of most cultures, and it provides us with incredible insight to life that was lived before us. Much is still unknown about the deep history of this country and by allowing the Damn wall to be raised you are engulfing knowledge held in over 1,541 identified cultural heritage sights. If this happens not only will we watch precious histories washed away forever but it would mean another loss, another trauma and another part of indigenous culture stolen from the Gundungurra community. There is already so much grief held in the bones of this land and its people, is it really necessary to create more?

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to express my extreme disagreement with the proposed raising of the Warragamba Dam wall. I have lived in the Blue Mountains since 1987 and have a deep connection to the area. My chidren were born and raised here and one of them now lives here with his wife. I go bushwalking regularly in this region and gain many health an wellness benefits from this activity.
Our home faces an area known as the "Blue Labyrinth", a huge area of untouched wilderness on the southern side of the highway at Woodford. We live here for the simple reasons that we love fresh air, space, nature, and have a deep respect for the rights of the First Nations people that are connected to this country.
Raising the dam wall will devastate a huge area of wilderness, destroy First Nations cultural heritage and sacred sites, and obliterate vital and beautiful habitats for native flora and fauna, including the Regent Honeyeater.
We as humans are facing the prosect of worsening climate change and the impact of this on all environments and the way we are able to co-exist with all beings on this planet. This makes the raising of the dam wall even more obsene and devastating, as the wilderness under threat is so much more vital thesedays and into the future, for us and our children and their children. This has to be viewed with a long-term perspective, rather than the short-term deluded justifications possited by politicians.
COVID has further eroded the wellbeing of people and this results in an even greater importance of wilderness, nature, and places to escape to for healthy minds, bodies and spirits.
I disagree that raising of the dam wall is required to mitigate flooding. This project is all about development of new housing. It is inappropriate to build housing on any flood plain.
The area under threat attracts 7 layers of legislative protection and is a World Heritage area. Raising of the dam wall contravenes our reponsibilities and obligations to the Australian public and the rest of the world.

I strongly oppose the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall for the following reasons:
We live in Blackheath in the Blue Mountains and are avid bushwalkers. To destroy such imporant sites that are precious to many bushwalkers and have historical connections with the bushwalking community is sacrilege.
We have many friends who live in Richmond, Windsor and in the flood-prone areas of the Hawkesbury Nepean floodplain. The last devastating flood would not have been prevented by a raised dam wall - most of the flood waters come from the other rivers that feed into the flood plain. It is disingenuous for the Minister to claim that flooding of a floodplain can be prevented and dangerously misleading to anyone who is led to believe they can safely build a home there. Even the Insurance Industry is not supporting this proposed action.
Raising the dam wall will flood the wilderness areas of the World Heritage Blue Mountains, and contravene the seven layers of legislative protection and breach Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention. It will make us the laughing stock of the world!
At least 1,500 indigenous cultural heritage sites would be inundated and the Gundungurra Traditional Owners have not consented to the dam wall raising.
The Regent Honeyeater, our precious Koala and platypus habitats would be destroyed. Insufficient studies have been undertaken to determine their locations in the haste to push this destructive action through the legislative channels.
The Minister has not considered the many alternatives that exist - including building flood evacuation roads, lowering the full supply level of the present dam and reducing floodplain development.
I urge the Minister to reverse the decision to proceed with this dangerously flawed project.

The raising of the dam wall will lead to flooding of the lower Kowmung River & further flooding of the Cox's River.
The Kowmung River is one of the State's great wilderness rivers. Once it is flooded its pristine value will be lost forever because the damage will be irreparable. The beautiful Lake Pedder in Tasmania was destroyed by flooding and can never return to its natural state. The Franklin & lower Gordon were on the same trajectory until enough people realised that those beautiful rivers would also be lost (and was a major factor in changing governments in Canberra). Please think beyond the next few decades & acknowledge that this is damage is permanent.