 |
|
 |
|
||
Update number 1
The Kumbartcho Wetland Rehabilitation Project was kick-started with a Commonwealth Community Water Grant for $47,000. This commitment from the Federal Government will be used to revegetate the existing dam at the Kumbartcho Environmental Centre. Additional funds from Pine River Shire Council will result in the draining and reshaping of the dam with significant earthworks required for deepening sections of the dam and reshaping the banks to allow the selective growth of emergent wetland plant species. Pine River Shire Council have committed over $100,000 of funds in the form of payments to contractors and council staff hours for project support. The Bunya Community Association are spearheading the project with project management support from its members along with public relations and community consultation support. Dr Nina Saxton of NESolutions has directed most of the actions needed for the Community Water Grant and is the Association’s contact with Pine River Shire Council. Volunteers associated with the Pine Rivers Catchment Association will also be on hand to help with the plantings and weeding activities required for both aquatic and terrestrial plant species.
This project was initially designed to improve water quality within the dam and to establish a functional wetland area to treat stormwater collected from the surrounding catchment. The social aspects of the project aim to deliver an educational and interactive potential to the existing environmental centre by involving the local community in the wetland project. There is an existing walking trail around the dam, which will be upgraded to include informative signage for flora and fauna located around the dam site. Volunteer planting days will be organised to increase public awareness of the project and the value of wetlands in stormwater treatment processes.
Steve Noy setting a turtle trap (16/04/07)
The project officially started on ground works on the 16th April when a 2 tonne pump was installed on the dam wall to pump 80 L/s of water into the spillway. This water will be greatly received by the downstream South Pine River, which was in dire need of an environmental flow to help flush out stagnant pools along the waterway. Pine River Shire Council staff were on hand to help with the pump installation and to monitor progress of the project as the existing lake drained. Naturecall staff, led by Steve Noy and Holly Bryant have been on site to trap freshwater turtles for relocation downstream of the dam before earthworks commence in May. Naturecall are one of the projects sponsors and have committed half of their overall costs as a voluntary contribution. Steve and his crew will be around to relocate native fauna during the earthworks and will also be conducting a bird survey for the Environmental Centre. When the lake was approximately 70% drained, nearly 70 native turtles were trapped, tagged and released downstream of the site in the South Pine River. This data will also be used by the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency in their work to further understand the migratory movements of freshwater turtles.
Steve Noy and Holly Bryant tagging a resident turtle
It was interesting to see turtles captured that were already tagged by the Queensland Wildlife Service. The date and location of these initial taggings will be researched to help understand where our resident population have come from.
Mary one of our resident artists is producing a superb mural in the bird hide, have a look when you next wander past. It gets better every day!Two months on and the dam has changed significantly. Pine River Shire Council officers and contractors have been working hard on extracting more than 7000 m3 of sediment from the existing system.
This material will be stockpiled on council land and allowed to dry out before being deployed as useful topsoil dressing material for revegetation projects throughout the Shire. This material has been tested for possible contaminants and has been cleared for general use. A few days of wet weather in June have slowed the progress of the earthworks but as July and August are typically our driest months, we are hopeful to be back on track.
Reshaping of the dam has begun and planning for the revegetation and planting aspects of the project will get underway. We would like to thank Pine River Shire Council for their continued commitment to the project. Boral will be delivering two truck and dog quantities of large rock to help in the reshaping of the wetland island and to help stabilise some sections of the dam. A gift that is gratefully received by the Bunya Community Association.