Lower Shoalhaven River - Coastal Management Program

The Lower Shoalhaven River CMP is now progressing through Stage 3. In this stage, our project team is developing a list of potential management actions for consideration in the CMP.

Council would like to thank the community for providing valuable input during community workshops held in July 2023 and via the online mapping platform. This feedback is now being used to help refine, assess and rank the various management actions. This has ensured the project team is informed of the perspectives, values and priorities of the broader community.

The online mapping platform will be closing on Friday 17 November 2023 at 5pm. If you haven’t already, please provide your feedback by this time.

If you have any other comments beyond this date, please contact the project team via coastal.management@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au.

Council thanks community members for their attendance and participation in recent workshops held for the Lower Shoalhaven River Coastal Management Program (CMP) on 25 and 26 July 2023.

The Shoalhaven community raised important issues and concerns for the local area as well as putting forward several ideas for possible solutions and management actions; creating a very positive, constructive and inclusive workshop.

This feedback is now being used to help the project team develop potential management actions as we progress through Stage 3 of this CMP.

If you were unable to attend a session, you can still have your say through our Interactive Map or by contacting the Coastal Team by emailing coastal.management@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au.

Council would like to thank the CMP subscribers and the community for providing inputs and contributing to the preparation of our CMPs throughout 2022.

The Project Team is still busy reviewing and finalising the Stage 2 studies for the Lower Shoalhaven River CMP, and Council is optimistic to have them all completed by early 2023. Council held a successful workshop with state agencies in late November 2022 to discuss the risks identified during Stage 2 of the CMP, and our consultants will soon start drafting potential management actions to be consulted with the community during Stage 3 of the CMP.

As indicated in the previous project update, these Community Drop-in Sessions and workshops will be held in the first half of 2023. The Sessions and workshops will be held face-to-face, and information will also be provided online for those that can't attend in person.

Please be reminded that you can still share your values and concerns for the Lower Shoalhaven River Estuary area using the interactive mapping tool.

The CMP Project Team is wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Council looks forward to continue working with the community on the Lower Shoalhaven River CMP in 2023.

You may have seen our surveyors and environmental experts on the water, mapping river depths and assessing the condition of riverbanks.

The CMP Stage 2 studies they conducted involved several investigations, including:

• riverbank erosion survey and analysis
• coastal and tidal Inundation modelling for various future scenarios
• boating study to determine the main concerns and issues from our community and its visitors
• water quality and estuary health analysis including urban stormwater runoff treatment.

Using this information, as well as your valuable input, Council and their environmental consultants are now preparing a summary report for Stage 2 of the CMP. The report will provide new knowledge on risks for the Lower Shoalhaven River resulting from coastal and tidal inundation, sea level rise, riverbank erosion, urban stormwater runoff and associated water quality. The Stage 2 summary report will be used in Stage 3. It will help inform and develop management actions that can be taken to mitigate risks and prepare our coastal use areas along the Lower Shoalhaven River.

How can I be involved in Stage 3

Once the range of management actions has been prepared, the opportunity for community feedback on Stage 3 will be provided to share your thoughts on the potential management actions within the CMP.

Several Community Drop-in Sessions and workshops will be held (likely to be in late summer 2023), so you can provide face-to-face feedback and discuss the CMP with our project team. Online access for information will also be available, for those that can't attend the workshops.

As part of Stage 2, Council would like to hear from the community about key issues and concerns impacting these areas and to obtain ideas on how best to manage them.

One of the ways that you can provide your insight is to visit the Interactive Map, published on this web page, and use the categorised marker pins provided to comment on:

• issues, problems or concerns that you are aware of in the Lower Shoalhaven River Estuary area
• ideas you have that could address the issue.

Your input will help shape and inform the development of possible management options that you will be invited to review and comment on in the coming stages.

Please note: To participate in this activity, you will be asked to provide your email and create a user name. Your email will not be visible. Your user name will be visible to other participants. If you are not comfortable using your given names, you can choose a user name that protects your identity, such as "Anonymous". Please note, all comments will be reported anonymously. In this report we may include direct quotes, and this will also be done anonymously. We may also want to include in the report any image/s you post to the map. If so, we will contact you via email for permission.

The Lower Shoalhaven River Waterway user survey is now closed - thank you to the 350+ respondents!

This survey was open throughout February 2022 as part of engagement with recreational and commercial waterway users, boating clubs and businesses to provide us with an understanding of current and future utilisation at the Lower Shoalhaven River and any constraints to its utilisation. The results from the survey will inform the development of the Lower Shoalhaven River Estuary Coastal Management Program (CMP).

Opportunities for Further Input

Council will be seeking further input from the community in Stage 3 of the CMP later in 2022 to discuss options to improve waterway usage and address some of the issues identified in Stage 2.

The community will also be given the opportunity to provide feedback on the recommendations in the draft CMP during a public exhibition period in Stage 4 of the CMP (early 2023).

If you have any questions or comments for the project team, please contact Council via our “Questions” tab, or by contacting Council’s Coastal Coordinator:

Nigel Smith
Phone: 0437 761 473
Email: nigel.smith@sholhaven.nsw.gov.au

View the project's upcoming stages

A study on the boating facilities within the Lower Shoalhaven River is being undertaken as part of Stage 2 of the Coastal Management Program (CMP).

The study will assess a variety of issues, including:

• whether there is sufficient capacity for vessels
• a need to improve existing facilities
• an ability to reduce conflict between water users
• opportunities to reduce the impact of boating on the surrounding environment.

Community Survey

As part of this study, Shoalhaven City Council is seeking input from the community. You are invited to complete the Online Survey by Sunday, 27 February 2022.

If you have any questions, or would like a hardcopy of the survey, please contact Council's Coastal Management Program Coordinator, Nigel Smith - email nigel.smith@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au or phone 0437 761 473.

In November 2021, Council commissioned the consultancy team of Rhelm to undertake Stages 2 to 4 of this Coastal Management Program (CMP).

It is anticipated that it will take approximately 14 months to progress through Stages 2 to 4. The development of the program will include extensive engagement with the local community, business owners, community groups, indigenous groups, and relevant government agencies.

What happens in Stage 2?

The project is now commencing Stage 2. The purpose of this stage is to understand the issues that affect the environmental, social, cultural, and economic values of the Lower Shoalhaven River. Stage 2 will consider historical events, current conditions, and future trends (including population growth, and climate change).

Stage 2 will define the coastal hazards within the area, modelling and mapping of the region and create a risk assessment based on the hazard mapping models. This will help 'complete the picture' of the various kinds of hazards that affect our coastline and estuaries.

This stage will take place from late 2021 through to late 2022. The next stage, Stage 3, will then develop potential management actions that can address key risks, and preserve what we love about the Lower Shoalhaven River.

How can I be involved?

We’d like anybody who is interested in, values, or lives near the coast to have a say in its management.

Council has developed this Get Involved page for the project, which will provide relevant information on the CMP, regular progress updates, and provide a number of ways for the community to have their say. Please forward any questions you have on this project through the 'Questions' tab on this Get Involved web page.

Council is excited to work alongside a highly experienced and professional team at Rhelm to develop this CMP. Council will be working closely with the North Coastal Management Program Advisory Committee and the wider community as the project progresses.