Assessing and prioritising foreshore areas

ASSESSING

and prioritising foreshore areas

The joint Community and Council Working Group inspected the foreshore to identify factors that would influence the foreshore treatment designs.

Aspects recorded included:

• type and condition of current foreshore protection structures (public and private), • presence and condition of public assets and recreation areas, • seagrass wrack build-up areas, • foreshore walking access, • available land width for potential protection works, and • public safety hazards, such as exposed materials or scarps caused by erosion. The Working Group identified the extent of active erosion, the width of land from shoreline to property boundaries, and public safety hazards as the three most significant risks that should guide the prioritisation of foreshore works.

Low Priority sites are:

Stable (not eroding) Adequate land width (>3m) Poses an acceptable public safety hazard Falling outside of ‘High’ or ‘Low’ definitions May contain one or two primary risk factors

Actively eroding Inadequate land width (<2-3m) Poses a current public safety hazard

Moderate Priority sites are:

High Priority sites are:

The key criteria were applied to the entire foreshore to categorise each section as high, moderate, or low priority in terms of the need for treatment. The prioritisation matrix informed design briefs and mapping to assist Council staff and the community to visualise the condition and priority status of most sections of the foreshore. Figure 2 presents the prioritisation of the foreshore into high, moderate and low categories based on the Working Group's assessment.

AREAS NOT COVERED BY THE PLAN

The Lake Macquarie Yacht Club and Belmont Pines Caravan Park have not been allocated designs under the Foreshore Management Plan as these areas have existing foreshore treatments in place. Marks Point Reserve and Naru Reserve have not been allocated designs under the Plan because of their potential ability to adjust naturally to changing conditions. They will be monitored over time to assess the impact of ongoing natural changes.

Council has a strong safety culture. Foreshore areas are dynamic systems that continually change over time. If you come across a section of foreshore that is dangerous or poses a risk to the public, please report this to Council’s Customer Service Centre on 4921 0333 or at council@lakemac.nsw.gov.au.