Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation

Following ongoing engagement with independent experts and a community remediation working group, Barwon Water this week submitted to Southern Rural Water a revised scope of works for its Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation plan.

Preparing a scope of works is a critical step in the process required under the conditions of a Section 78 Ministerial Notice that was issued to Barwon Water in 2018, directing it to develop and implement a remediation plan for or Boundary Creek, Big Swamp and surrounding environments.

In accordance with that notice, Barwon Water submitted its scope of works to Southern Rural Water on December 20, 2018.

This document outlined the area that will be covered by the remediation plan, the environmental values to be included and the necessary environmental assessments and methodology proposed to develop the remediation plan.

Barwon Water subsequently sought additional feedback from Southern Rural Water and its Technical Review Panel, as well as the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp Remediation community working group and its independent experts on the scope of works document.

In addition, a comprehensive field program of scientific and environmental assessments to address information gaps was completed during March to June, these assessments included:

• soil sampling (more than 200kg of soil was collected for analysis)
• updated LIDAR imagery to more accurately map vegetation
• installation of monitoring equipment in Big Swamp

Barwon Water concluded its community information session series last night in Colac.

Three community information sessions were hosted over the last week to provide an update on the Barwon Downs borefield licence application withdrawal and the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation project.

Sessions were hosted in Winchelsea, Birregurra and Colac which saw more than 40 people attend. Attendees included representatives from local landcare groups, local land owners, environmental groups and local newspapers.

Barwon Water General Manager Strategy, Systems and Environment Kate Sullivan said the response to the community information sessions shows the community’s passion and dedication for the local environment.

“One of the key themes discussed at information sessions, was the process for developing the remediation plan, which includes prioritising remediation for Boundary Creek and Big Swamp where we know we have had an impact as well as investigating whether there have been impacts in other areas.”

“In addition, attendees were very interested in Barwon Water’s plans to secure future water supplies.”

“Overall the community were positive that Barwon Water were out and about in the community talking about the remediation project.”

The current phase of the remediation project is our environmental assessment field program which is commencing next week, subject to approvals and weather.

“We will provide monthly updates to the remediation working group and meet with the group again in the coming months to provide an update on the field program and what the preliminary results are telling us.”

In the latter part of 2019, Barwon Water will continue to work with the remediation working group and their nominated experts to develop a remediation plan, which will be submitted to Southern Rural Water and its independent technical review panel for approval.

The remediation working group comprises community members and representatives from local agencies and environmental groups, including Traditional Owners, Boundary Creek landowners, LAWROC (Land and Water Resources Otway Catchment), PALM (People for a Living Moorabool), the Upper Barwon Landcare Network, Colac Otway Shire Council and the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Barwon Water is hosting three community information sessions to provide an update on the Barwon Downs borefield licence application withdrawal and the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation project.

An open house style event, the information sessions will be an opportunity for stakeholders and the community to drop in to learn more about both topics. Information sessions will be hosted at the following locations:

Winchelsea information session
Where: The Eastern Hub (Members Room), Eastern Reserve, Hopkins Street, Winchelsea
When: Thursday 4 April from 4pm - 7pm

Birregurra information session
Where: Birregurra Hall (The Seniors Room), 42-44 Main Street, Birregurra
When: Saturday 6 April from 10am - 1pm

Colac information session
Where: Colac Bowling Club, corner of Moore and Armstrong streets, Colac
When: Wednesday 10 April from 4pm - 7pm

The information sessions will provide key information on both the remediation project and recent licence application withdrawal and members of the project team will be available to discuss any questions.

Barwon Water held its fifth meeting with the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp Remediation Working Group in late March, to continue discussions about developing a remediation plan.

Barwon Water General Manager Strategy, Systems and Environment Kate Sullivan said the latest meeting of the community remediation working group provided an opportunity to discuss and ask questions about Barwon Water’s recent withdrawal of its licence application and any implications this had for the remediation process underway.

This meeting followed four previous meetings with the working group whose role is to participate in the design of the remediation plan and provide greater awareness of the remediation plan across the community.

The group have nominated three independent experts whose role is to represent the interests of the environment and members of the working group to provide expertise and scientific rigour to the development of the remediation plan.

“The independent experts have critically reviewed and provided feedback on the environmental and scientific field program and assessments. Their review has taken into account existing literature and concerns raised by members of the group. Barwon Water has used this information to refine and strengthen the upcoming field program and assessments,” Ms Sullivan said.

“The purpose of this field program and environmental assessments is to resolve information gaps raised as concerns by the working group to better understand aspects of Big Swamp and Boundary Creek, and use the outcomes of that work to inform a remediation approach for that specific catchment,” she said.

“One of the key topics discussed at meeting five, was the process for developing the remediation plan, which includes prioritising remediation for Boundary Creek and Big Swamp where we know we have had an impact as well as investigating whether there have been impacts in other areas. We will work with key stakeholders to ensure this happens.

“An extensive environmental and scientific field program is due to commence in late April.

“We will provide monthly updates to the remediation working group and meet with the group again in the coming months to provide an update on the field program and what the preliminary results are telling us.”

Barwon Water intends to submit its remediation plan to Southern Rural Water for review at the end of 2019.

Barwon Water re-convened its Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation working group in late February to hear from its nominated technical experts about the environmental assessments required to inform the remediation plan Boundary Creek and Big Swamp.

Overall the group were supportive of the proposed environmental assessments. The group were complimentary and appreciative of the nominated experts in distilling their concerns and views into a technical document.

Barwon Water advised that the environmental assessments would will commence in April 2019.

In mid-September, 2018, Barwon Water received a Section 78 Ministerial Notice pursuant to Section 78 of the Water Act 1989, directing the corporation to develop and implement a remediation plan for the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp environments

In accordance with that notice, Barwon Water submitted its scope of works to Southern Rural Water by December 20.

The scope of works outlines the area that will be covered by the remediation plan, the environmental values to be included and the necessary environmental assessments and methodology proposed to develop the remediation plan.

In developing the scope of works, Barwon Water has:

• identified all appropriate hydrogeological, hydrological and geochemical assessments to support the development of the remediation plan.
• incorporated ideas and feedback gathered from the community via Barwon Water’s Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation working group (including the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority).
• shared a draft scope of works with Southern Rural Water’s independent technical review panel for feedback.
• considered the State Environmental Protection Policy (Victorian Waters).

In addition, the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation working group has also benefitted from the advice of three independent technical experts who they nominated to support them in their discussions. The scope of works document also incorporates input from these technical experts.

Further, Barwon Water has also proposed that a review of the scope of works be undertaken by the working group’s nominated technical experts.

Based on these further inputs, and any further feedback from Southern Rural Water’s independent technical review panel, Barwon Water may refine the scope of works and provide any updated information to Southern Rural Water.

The Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation community and stakeholder working group has been informed of this approach and will be provided ongoing updates.

The group is made up of representatives from the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA), Colac Otway Shire Council, LAWROC, PALM (People for a Living Moorabool), Upper Barwon Landcare Group, Boundary Creek landowners, Traditional Owners and other interested community members.

Barwon Water welcomes the direction from the Minister for Water in relation to a legally enforceable remediation plan for Boundary Creek, Big Swamp and surrounding environments impacted by past groundwater extraction at Barwon Downs, under Section 78 (s78) of the Water Act 1989.

The s78 notice is now publicly available on the Barwon Water website.

Read: Remediation approach for Boundary Creek and Big Swamp – Section 78 notice released

In mid-September, Barwon Water received a Section 78 Ministerial Notice pursuant to Section 78 of the Water Act 1989, directing the corporation to develop and implement a remediation for the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp environments.

Barwon Water welcomed the notice for a legally enforceable remediation plan for the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp environments impacted by past groundwater extraction at Barwon Downs.

The notice provides added assurance to the community and legally enshrines Barwon Water’s intention to remediate Boundary Creek and Big Swamp.

Barwon Water will fully cooperate with the Section 78 notice to get the right outcomes. Furthermore, we are committed to working closely with the local community, key agencies and technical experts in the years ahead as we work towards developing and implementing the remediation plan.

We have been engaging with the community, key stakeholders and community nominated technical experts through our Boundary Creek Remediation Working Group to help Barwon Water design the remediation plan including identifying what the success measures might be.

Barwon Water will continue to provide updates to the community on this project.

On August 22, Barwon Water hosted the third workshop with the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation working group.

The purpose of the meeting was for the working group to identify success measures to direct scoping of a field program by the nominated experts and technical consultant.

Success measures have been grouped into:

• No further downstream impacts to the Barwon River
• That landholders can access good quality and quantity of water for stock
• That Big Swamp is a valuable environmental asset

The working group welcomed the wealth of knowledge and experience the experts brought in helping inform the discussion about success measures.

The group acknowledged that remediation of Boundary Creek and Big Swamp is challenging and complex and welcomed the approach taken to develop the remediation plan.

The next steps for the project include:

• field program development and implementation
• the nominated experts to reassess the remediation options in light of the results of the field program
• consult the remediation group about success targets and preferred remediation option.

The working group reconfirmed their commitment to the process and will meet again later this year to hear about the field program.

Barwon Water welcomes the direction from the Minister for Water in relation to a legally enforceable remediation plan for the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp environments impacted by past groundwater extraction at Barwon Downs, under Section 78 of the Water Act 1989.

Managing Director, Tracey Slatter said this not only provides added assurance to the community but legally enshrines Barwon Water’s intention to remediate Boundary Creek and Big Swamp as part of its application to Southern Rural Water to renew the Barwon Downs borefield licence.

“Barwon Water is keen to cooperate with the Section 78 notice and the licence application process to get the right outcomes,” Ms Slatter said.

“We are also committed to working closely with the local community, key agencies and technical experts in the years ahead as we work towards achieving this,” Ms Slatter said.

“We have been consulting with the community and key stakeholders to help Barwon Water design the remediation plan including identifying what the success criteria might be.”

At the request of community members, three independent technical experts were invited to contribute to the process. These experts will work with Barwon Water’s existing technical consultant and the remediation working group to refine the remediation concept and address any important information gaps before finalising the plan.