Snowy River
Issue: Resource Use
This issue is discussed for these areas: [an error occurred while processing this directive]
For more information refer to the following Indicators:
Drinking Water Quality | Hazardous Waste | Heritage | Noise | Population | Solid Waste | Water Use
In the 2004 Regional State of the Environment Report (RSoER) two issues papers covered community wellbeing and resource use for each Shire Council. Previous ’Community Wellbeing‘ indicators have not been reported in this RSoER following a decision by the RSoER workshop in July 2007 as these indicators are now covered in the Shire Council’s Social Plan .
Under the requirements of the New South Wales (NSW) Local Government Act 1993, reporting of Heritage (both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) and Noise is mandatory in state of the environment reports.
What changes took place during the reporting period?
- Affected by drought however no use of water restrictions.
- Continued drinking water quality of a high standard.
- Population is reducing in number.
- The main noise complaint problems were in relation to barking dogs and during the ski season at commercial premises.
- Waste minimisation efforts improving -organics drop off system in place.
- Little change to the listed heritage estate.
| Council Locations | Coastal Councils Eurobodalla Bega Valley |
Alpine Councils Tumut Tumbarumba Snowy River Bombala Cooma/Monaro |
Major Regional Centre Councils Queanbeyan Yass Goulburn/ Mulwaree |
Inland Councils Young Boorowa Upper Lachlan Cootamundra Harden Gundagai Palerang |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population Size change | Increased population | Declining population | Increased population | Declined population |
| Population age change | Aging population | Aging population | Aging population | Aging population |
| Heritage | Spending on heritage programs | Spending on heritage programs | Spending on heritage programs | Spending on heritage programs |
| Noise | Main complaints - barking dogs. Improved noise compliance outcomes |
Main complaints - barking dogs. Improved noise compliance outcomes |
Main complaints - barking dogs. Improved noise compliance outcomes |
Main complaints - barking dogs. Improved noise compliance outcomes |
| Waste | Good initiatives/ reduction strategies in place Improved data collection |
Good initiatives/ reduction strategies in place | Good initiatives/ reduction strategies in place Improved data collection |
Good initiatives/ reduction strategies in place |
| Water Quality | Consistent High Water Quality | Consistent High Water Quality | Consistent High Water Quality | Consistent High Water Quality |
| Water Availability | Higher potential evaporation Water restrictions |
Higher potential evaporation Water restrictions |
Higher potential evaporation Water restrictions |
Higher potential evaporation Water restrictions |
Source: The information in this table is collated from data supplied by Shire Councils (collated by OCSE)
Water
The drinking water used in the Shire largely comes from storages controlled by Snowy Hydro, which is the major supplier of water for the irrigation areas on the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers. The amount used by the Shire is a negligible proportion of the total water use. Lake Jindabyne is operated to supply water through the whole Snowy Hydro system, and hence is drawn down to low levels in drought. This has necessitated alterations to the Jindabyne water intake to reach further down in the lake. While water restrictions have not been imposed, the domestic consumption of water has fallen by nearly 30% over the last three years.
The Snowy Shire water supplies are drawn from a range of sources. The source of the majority of the supply is Lake Jindabyne, a major dam in the Snowy Hydro complex. This dam is linked with other storages in the system, which is the main irrigation supply of water for the Murray and Murrumbidgee River irrigation areas.
Drinking water use from this source is a negligible proportion of the water availability, even in drought.
A consistent reduction in reticulated water use is seen from 2005-2006 to the present time. This amounts to an 8.5 % reduction despite an increase in commercial and industrial use.
The general water quality is good, both bacteriologically and for the inorganic constituents. The only area of concern is the occurrence of E. coli in the supply during the warmer months, particularly in the East Jindabyne and Eucumbene Cove systems. This was observed in the 2000/2004 data, and has continued through 2005 to 2008. Pre-emptive action by the supply authority is recommended, by increasing disinfection prior to the summer for East Jindabyne, and installing UV disinfection for Eucumbene Cove.
Population
Snowy River Shire Council remains relatively static with only a small percentage fall in growth observed. According to the 2006 Census there were 7,554 residents in the Shire with an estimated 7,727 in 2007. Since the end of the previous State of the Environment Reporting period, the population of the Shire is estimated to have increased by 1.1% or 302 persons.
Compared with NSW as a whole, Snowy River Shire has a younger population, a lower but stable Indigenous population and a slight decrease in the proportion of persons born overseas compared to a slight increase for the state as a whole. Along with many other jurisdictions in Australia, Snowy River Shire Council will need to consider the impacts in the future of an ageing population on its economy and infrastructure.
The composition of households has continued the trend noted in the 2004 report with a further reduction in the number of households comprising couples with children and a consequent increase in couples without children and also lone person households. These are similar to trends observed in other Shire Councils and NSW.
Noise
125 noise complaints were received by the Shire Council in this reporting period. The majority for barking dogs (111 complaints received), licensed premises (12 complaints) mainly in the ski season and vehicles (boats and trucks) (two complaints). There are no records supplied of any complaints received by NSW Police during 2004-08, however it is understood that complaints were dealt with by police in many cases.
Reducing solid waste
The Shire Council provides town and village residents with kerbside garbage and recycling collection services. All residents have access to landfill sites for waste disposal and free drop off points for recyclables including garden organics. Approximately one third of waste generated in 2007-08 was recycled with the remainder going to landfill.
The Shire Council operates three landfill sites and one transfer station in the Shire. The Jindabyne landfill has had a major refurbishment recently including the installation of a weighbridge in April 2006,
There have been considerable omissions and inconsistencies in data collection during this reporting period. Data collection in the last year of the period improved considerably and this year’s data is likely to give a good snapshot of waste generation patterns in the Shire.
Heritage
Changes to the listed heritage estate for Snowy River Shire over the past four years show that two places have been added to the National Heritage List (Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves and the Snowy Mountains Scheme),one place has been added to the NSW Heritage Register (Old Adaminaby and Lake Eucumbene, including relics and moveable objects, Eucumbene ), and two places have been removed from the S. 170 heritage list of NSW Government departments and agencies (Kiandra Courthouse and chalet and Matthews Cottage, Kiandra).
The future what does this mean for the Shire Council?
Lake Jindabyne is operated to supply water through the whole Snowy Hydro system, and hence is drawn down to low levels in drought. This has necessitated alterations to the Jindabyne water intake to reach further down in the lake. While water restrictions have not been imposed, the domestic consumption of water has fallen by nearly 30% over the last three years.
Good consistent data collection should be continued to ensure that direct comparisons between water quality reporting periods can be continued.
For population
Along with many other jurisdictions in Australia, Snowy River Shire Council will need to consider the impacts in the future of an ageing population on its economy and infrastructure.
For noise
The Shire Council may wish to consider developing a system for keeping statistics on noise issues. These statistics could assist the Shire Council in further planning for resolving noise complaints especially with regard to time management and resources outcomes.
For waste management
Data collection has been incomplete in the past but with the installation of the weighbridge at Jindabyne and more systematic data collection generally, it has improved considerably, which will benefit Shire Council’s consideration of further waste management initiatives.
One project currently being considered by Shire Council (with regional partners) is a composting project which will recycle organic material and biosolids to produce compost. Such a project would drastically cut the waste deposited in landfill. In addition to the environmental, financial and social benefits of improving degraded land, widespread adopting of a composting system would extend the life of Shire Councils landfills.
For heritage
No information is available on the condition of heritage sites during the reporting period and little information on condition prior to the reporting period either. The condition of many sites has not been updated since they were listed on the Register of the National Estate. The Shire Council may wish to address this.
The Snowy River Shire Council has published a heritage brochure that is freely available at Shire Council offices. The brochure explains the qualities which contribute to heritage significance, the benefits to owners of heritage places and dispels some of the myths regarding listing on the heritage schedule.
In 2008-09 the Snowy River Shire entered its eleventh year with a heritage advisory service. All planners are now aware of the importance of considering heritage issues as part of the development application process as well as informing owners of the heritage incentives in the LEP which could assist their project.
