Tamar River - Silt Raking
[2.51 p.m.]
Ms ARMITAGE question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT
This question follows up a question I asked last week on this matter.
Would the Leader please advise -
(1) With regard to raking of the Tamar River, what date did this cease?
Please provide the reason for ceasing the raking of the Tamar River, given that the grant authority had not yet expired and, from the answer provided last week, appears will not expire until September 2019.
Moreover, according to the answer you provided last week, the grant authority provides for a review of data to inform future actions. Could the Leader explain what exactly this data is and will it become publicly available?
ANSWER
Mr President, I thank the member for Launceston for her question.
Silt raking activities were last undertaken in the week ending 30 November 2018.
This is a question best addressed by the Launceston Flood Authority.
The data collected during silt-raking activities and used in the review consists of bathymetric surveys to determine the volume of sediment removed and the location of redeposition, dissolved oxygen, pH and conductivity. Analysis of 'grab samples' - samples of the bottom sediment - involves measures of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, ammonia, metals, nitrate, nitrite and dissolved nitrogen, dissolved phosphorus, dissolved ammonia and dissolved metals. The question of when the data will be publicly available is best addressed by the Launceston Flood Authority.