A committee reviewing the management of Loch Garry on the Goulburn River and the infrastructure itself has met for the first time and laid out a number of lines of inquiry it is likely to pursue.
The Loch Garry Reference Committee met on Monday, February 13 to review the service requirements of the Loch Garry Flood Protection District infrastructure and its operating rules.
All 13 members of the committee, which includes Goulburn Murray Loch Garry customers or ratepayers, representatives from the Moira Shire, City of Greater Shepparton, Goulburn-Murray Water and Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, as well as members of the local community, attended the meeting and shared their experiences of the October 2022 floods.
The loch helps provide protection from minor to moderate flooding for downstream landowners, but it is opened during larger events to allow flood flows to follow their natural course.
Many people living on the floodplain below the loch, which is located on the Goulburn River near Bunbartha, have claimed the impact of the floods was bigger and more widespread because of mismanagement in the lead-up and during last October’s floods.
Loch Garry Reference Committee member and customer Mackenzie Craig said the first meeting had been promising.
“The meeting was very productive and helped ensure that everyone on the committee left with a greater understanding of the issues,” he said.
“We have a lot of ground to cover, but I think we have the right people in the room to reach a resolution on the operations of the loch.”
During the meeting, committee members raised key topics they believe need to be considered over the course of the inquiry.
They included:
- repairs the Loch Garry regulator requires;
- the role of the loch in a flood;
- its design and operating specifications;
- preparing for larger flood events;
- developing a timeline of the October 2022 flood event;
- reviewing operating rules;
- potential alternative design options; and
- the impact of Loch Garry on downstream communities.
The committee will reconvene in about a month’s time.
A summary of the meeting is available at https://yoursay.gmwater.com.au/loch-garry-reference-committee