Wednesday, September 19, 2012

QC7 - Is water quality likely to be the biggest natural challenge if a causeway is contructed?

Probably. (Noise at certain times ? See much earlier posts for visual impact )









Well published water pond planner Nick Romanowksi is, like many,completely opposed to the idea of changing the lake in any way at all ( Colac Herald 31st August)
As an ecologist I have a lot of sympathy with his view that managing water quality will be a difficult issue.I don't however think we should not modify the presently highly modified systems  just because its seen to be interfering in nature . The water quality is very poor NOW because plants and animal can't reliably use its huge nutrient load.  Decomposers are the main functioning biological elements  operating in the lake at any one time.
What we do need , in my opinion,  is to make sure we are working with nature , not against it ; That we are working with natural systems,  not presuming they will not change and that we cannot  be part of that change to more diversity too .As stated previously the water body does not function as a stable ecosystem because its very shallow ,wave prone with its dispersive clay content not allowing consistent algal growth .
I can't see any real reason why we can't have a  more " natural " lake up north than we have ever had and a more diverse stable water body to the south by planning development and design systems  that are thoroughly committed to managing nutrient loads  and using the earthworks for a road to do much more diverse things to the water bodies adjacent . There will be no other time we could afford to consider anything else. 

Time for your questions? 

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