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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 868 asked in the Legislative Council on 28 November 2017 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas

Parliament: 40 Session: 1


PORT GEOGRAPHE RECONFIGURATION PROJECT — DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT
      868. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Department of Transport's coastal management of the Port Geographe reconfiguration project.
      (1) Given the impact the build-up of seagrass is having on west of the Port Geographe groynes, which is significantly larger in volume compared with that at the same time last year and which is not affecting remaining beaches in the bay, does the minister agree this is an unnatural accumulation of seagrass and needs to be managed?
      (2) As the season for high tides and storm surges that could naturally move the seagrass from this location has passed, what is the Department of Transport planning to do to address the potential odour from the excessive seagrass and provide an acceptable and safe amenity for the summer months?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
      (1) No. The accumulation of seagrass wrack in late November 2017 was approximately 16 000 cubic metres compared with 12 000 cubic metres at the same time in 2016. The key environmental trigger for the Department of Transport's management intervention is 60 000 cubic metres. Recent measurements have also shown that the residual wrack volume is continuing to reduce.
      (2) The Department of Transport has developed a comprehensive environmental monitoring and management plan for Port Geographe. As part of this plan, DOT monitors both the volumes of seagrass wrack accumulation and odour levels. To date, both wrack volume and odour remain well below the threshold that would trigger a management response, and therefore no interventions are planned by DOT at this time. It is likely that beach amenity in the vicinity of the wrack will continue to improve further over summer.