ordinary meeting of council to be held on tuesday, 26 april 2005 at ...

Ku-ring-gai Council
Draft Management Plan 2005-2009
S<strong>to</strong>rmwater, Coasts, and Estuaries
The Ku-ring-gai Local Government area drains <strong>to</strong> three major s<strong>to</strong>rmwater catchments,
Middle Harbour <strong>to</strong> the east, Cowan Creek <strong>to</strong> the north and Lane Cove River <strong>to</strong> the west.
Development has <strong>be</strong>en largely constrained <strong>to</strong> the ridges with <strong>council</strong> bushland and the
Garigal, Ku-ring-gai Chase and Lane Cove National Parks providing a buffer <strong>to</strong> each <strong>of</strong>
the major water courses.
Council has recently prepared local catchment plans for the Cowan Creek and Middle
Harbour catchments. These plans have investigated the capacity <strong>of</strong> the drainage system
and modelled the effects <strong>of</strong> flooding and the quality <strong>of</strong> run<strong>of</strong>f within the catchment. A
similar plan for the Lane Cove Valley will <strong>be</strong> completed by June 2005.
In Novem<strong>be</strong>r 2004, Council adopted a draft Policy for Drainage works and Maintenance
Procedures including a five year program for drainage works.
The draft Policy is developed <strong>to</strong> manage Council’s drainage assets <strong>to</strong> allocate resources
on a program basis taking in<strong>to</strong> account the severity and likelihood <strong>of</strong> the risk. It uses
ranking criteria <strong>to</strong> prioritise drainage works as well maintenance measures which are
supported by catchment research and modelling. It is designed <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong> flexible in order <strong>to</strong>
consider Council’s budget provisions and its ability <strong>to</strong> respond <strong>to</strong> requests or notified
problem areas.
The condition <strong>of</strong> all our creeks have <strong>be</strong>en mapped. This has for the first time provided
Council with a snapshot <strong>of</strong> the health <strong>of</strong> our riparian environments.
Following on from the mapping, in Decem<strong>be</strong>r Council adopted a riparian policy that
seeks <strong>to</strong> improve the <strong>be</strong>d and bank stability, provide basic habitat or enable robust
biological links <strong>be</strong>tween key environmental assets. The principles <strong>of</strong> this policy have
<strong>be</strong>en included in the Water Management development control plan 47.
In addition <strong>to</strong> Council’s ongoing programs, new initiatives include:
Investigation in<strong>to</strong> sustainable water management for Gordon and North Turramurra
Golf Courses.
Design and approval <strong>of</strong> a s<strong>to</strong>rmwater harvesting project <strong>to</strong> provide the irrigation
needs <strong>of</strong> Barra Brui Oval, St Ives whilst improving the quality <strong>of</strong> run <strong>of</strong>f <strong>to</strong> the
creeks, reducing erosion and improving the condition <strong>of</strong> the adjacent bushland.
Joining Sydney Water Corporation’s Every Drop Counts program that has assisted
in the identification <strong>of</strong> Council’s tap water use sites.
Construction <strong>of</strong> a waterwise garden at Turramurra.
Development <strong>of</strong> a s<strong>to</strong>rmwater harvesting design for Gordon Golf Course.
Construction <strong>of</strong> a water sensitive road design at Minamurra Avenue, Gordon as part
<strong>of</strong> the road capital works program.
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