Bronwen Campbell and Mez Fisher
The Rous County Council decision to remove the proposed Dunoon Dam from our region’s water security options has again sparked controversy, as you will see from some of the articles and letters to the editor in this edition.
It is perhaps unfortunate that we may have lost an opportunity for many social, environmental and community benefits that could have been developed alongside the dam project. It is quite possible to ‘do dams well’, with a vision for 21st-century water security that mitigates or compensates for any losses experienced.
It would have been wonderful to have seen a dam project including a comprehensive ‘social justice’ component, with free programs and opportunities being offered to, for example, our region’s indigenous youth groups and other disadvantaged populations. Regular activities such as bushwalking, fishing, paddle boarding, canoeing, sailing and cultural heritage experiences could create real and meaningful change to many of these people, with the input of mentoring from our own local Dunoon residents and the support of our local Dunoon Sports Club, Men’s Shed, etc., bringing together communities for the enhanced wellbeing of all.
Opportunities lost if the dam is scotched forever.
With the current Rocky Creek Dam – and what a beautiful place that is –holding just one year’s water supply, prolonged drought could well see us plunged into chaos (imagine the wait for people on tank water all running dry at the same time).
A new dam, capturing pure clean rainwater and making use of existing infrastructure to send it downhill to consumers seems to many the most sensible and sustainable option, especially for a region with the highest annual rainfall in the state.
Not to mention the reduced energy costs and emissions compared to the alternatives, and the environmental benefits that could flow from creating wildlife spaces and planting carbon-sucking trees – as well as food for humans – with a secure water supply.
As with many issues, others beg to differ, and we present a range of views in this edition. Again, readers are encouraged to critically analyse the information and expertise to inform their own views, while being respectful and kind to others whose views may differ.
To see the many views expressed, see the August-September issue of the Dunoon and District Gazette.
This article appeared in the Dunoon and District Gazette, August-September 2021.
