Status
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Background
Lower Murray Urban and Rural Water Corporation (LMW) proposes to undertake the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP) which consists of nine discrete sub-projects:
- Gunbower
- Guttrum-Benwell
- Vinifera
- Nyah
- Burra Creek
- Hattah Lakes North
- Belsar-Yungera
- Wallpolla Island
- Lindsay Island.
The Lindsay Island Floodplain Restoration Project aims to return a more natural flood regime to improve the ecological condition across approximately 5,289 hectares of the Murray River Floodplain at Lindsay Island and Lake Wallawalla.
The Wallpolla Island Floodplain Restoration Project aims to return a more natural flood regimes to 2,672 hectares.
The works proposed for these projects will include:
- Large and small regulators
- Containment structures
- Drop structures
- Temporary cofferdams
- Spillways
- Culverts
- Pump suction line
- Hardstand areas
- New access tracks and realignments/upgrades to existing access tracks; and
- Borrow pit sites will be established to supply fill material in order to support construction.
As per the Minister’s Decision, one environment effects statement (EES) process will be undertaken to assess the potential environmental effects of both the Lindsay Island and Wallpolla Island projects.
EES preparation
Consultation plan
LMW has prepared a consultation plan for the EES, outlining the opportunities and approaches for its community engagement during the preparation of the EES.
The addendum below provides further details of specific consultation activities planned.
The plan and addendum may be updated as required during the preparation of the EES. If updates are made, the updated versions will be posted on this page.
Technical reference group
The Department has convened an inter-agency technical reference group to advise the proponent and the department, as appropriate, on scoping and adequacy of the EES studies during the preparation of the EES, as well as coordination with statutory approval processes.
The government organisations represented on the technical reference group are:
- DTP – Impact Assessment
- DEECA – Loddon Mallee Region
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Earth Resources Regulation
- Department of Transport and Planning
- First Peoples-State Relations
- Heritage Victoria
- First People of the Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation
- Swan Hill Rural City Council
- Mildura Rural City Council
- Campaspe Shire Council
- Gannawarra Shire Council
- Mallee Catchment Management Authority
- North Central Catchment Management Authority
- Parks Victoria
- Lower Murray Water
- Goulburn Murray Water
- Environment Protection Authority.
Technical reference group representatives are supported by internal experts on specific aspects of the EES studies.
Scoping requirements
The scoping requirements set out the matters to be investigated and documented in the EES.
Draft scoping requirements for this EES were placed on public exhibition from 23 April to 14 May 2021.
After considering public submissions on the draft scoping requirements, the Minister for Planning issued final scoping requirements in July 2021, dated June 2021.
Minister's decision on referral
On 06 December 2020 the Minister for Planning required LMW to prepare a single environment effects statement (EES) under the Environment Effects Act 1978 to assess the potential environmental effects of the both the Lindsay Island and Wallpolla Island projects.
Project contact
If you have any questions or feedback, please get in touch via the contact details below.
Proposed Lindsay Island Floodplain Restoration Project and Wallpolla Island Floodplain Restoration Project queries:
Page last updated: 26/06/24