Matters arising from Council meeting of the 24th of January

Irrigation water license

The Department of Natural Resources and Water approved an application to re-instate an irrigation water license on Spring Creek above the Killarney Town Wier, dispite Council and others lodging protests.

Background

The Water Licence Application 199641 was applied for to replace expired Water Licence 11771T which authorised the taking of water from Spring Creek on lot 2 ML1671 to attach to 2 and lot 118 ML1671 for irrigating a maximum area of 6 hectares.

The land described as lots 2 and 118 ML1671 were subject to a boundary realignment in 2004.

Licence 11771T expired under the Water Act when one of the parcels of land was sold.

Application 119641 aimed to replace the cancelled licence. No increased allocation was applied for. Presently the existing infrastructure is a 50mm centrifugal pump located on lot 2 SP172525.

Five (5) submissions were registered with the Department of Natural Resources and Water when the application was advertised. One (1) was from Warwick Shire Council.

To keep the town water supply at full capacity, flows that fall below 3.2 megalitres per day can result in a restriction regime being implemented under the Water Act. 3.2 megalitres equates to 37 litres per second. The Water Treatment Plant draws off at approximately 18 litres per second.

13.4 Report on a Decision for Water Licence Application 119641 - Spring Creek

Recommendation

THAT the report of the Acting Director of Technical Services dated 17 January 2007 in relation to a Decision for Water Licence Application 119641 - Spring Creek be received and that Council advise the Department of Natural Resources and Water of its disappointment with the decision and reiterate its previous advice that Killarney depends on a continuous flow in Spring Creek and that when flow decreases in the creek (ie dry times) is when irrigation water demand will seriously conflict with the needs of the town.

Resolution

Moved Cr C Watts Seconded Cr K J Armstrong.

Carried

Council lodged a letter of concern at the impact of irrigation upstream of the water intake to the Killarney Water Treatment Plant.

Killarney Water Treatment Plant Improvements

Survey completed of areas to be utilised for treatment plant upgrades and possible offstream storage. Topographical plan has been prepared for determination of earthwork quantities and viable options for off-stream storage and sludge drying beds.

Killarney Streetscape

ngineering design has been finalised. Design Plans have been issued to the Works Department to prepare for commencement of construction. Control Line and other features have been set out on site. Work due to start on 8 January 2007.

Yangan Water Supply Scheme

Council has been offered Small Communities Assistance Program (SCAP) funding to assist with the Yangan Water Supply Scheme.

The initial Planning Report was commissioned approximately four (4) years ago and was presented to Council in early 2004. Council requested that the report be reconsidered with a view to supplying a larger volume of water to the Yangan area. As Council at first removed the project from its ten (10) year program in 2005 and then subsequently reinstated it into the ten (10) year program for 2012/2013, the revised report was not completed until the Manager Services was asked to submit SCAP applications for Killarney Off Stream Storage, Allora Sewerage and Yangan Water Supply. As the Killarney water project could not meet the criteria and Allora sewerage project was in abeyance and could not be developed in the time span, only the Yangan water supply project was submitted.

The Yangan water supply project is eligible for 40% subsidy under the standard Water and Sewerage Program (WASP) criteria. The SCAP offer to Council is for a total subsidy of 60% of the cost of the project ie $749,297 subsidy on an estimated project cost of $1,248,847. The SCAP offer will lapse after six (6) months unless a series of conditions are met.

Feedlots

Feedlot proposals are causing considerable angst in Warwick Shire, with two current applications attracting objections from the community. One of these is the plan by the Nolan family for a 499 SCU operation at Goomburra, scaled back after the council refused a larger proposal. The other application, by Professional Investment Cattle, is for a 1700 SCU feedlot at Loch Lomond.

One SCU roughly equates to a beast weighing between 600 and 800 kilograms, meaning the actual number cattle being grain-fed can be higher depending on the beasts' actual weight.

Department of Primary Industries (DPI), which also assesses feedlot applications.

Lease of Council reserve.

2.699 hectares on Border Road, Killarney, Camping Reserve

Mr Terence Olsen (adjoining property owner to the reserve) of Spring Creek Road, Killarney submitted the only tender which therefore won the tender to lease the land for 10 years at $660.00 (incl GST) per year.

Young Ambassadors Program

Unfortunately, we did not receive any nominations from Killarney and Allora