An expert in estuarine biology says she holds real concern for the future of Lake Cathie's species after recent heavy rainfall impacted its water quality.
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Dr Deb Geronimi said testing at the lake on Monday, February 17 showed salinity at the waterway has dropped to zero, meaning it's now a fresh water body.
She said she found evidence of ammonia, which is indicative of organisms dying in the waterway.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries has previously reported runoff from bushfire and drought affected areas can impact water quality and take a toll on its inhabitants.
Dr Geronimi, has previously spoken about her concerns about the survival of the Estuary Stingray and said she's worried the recent rain event will wipe them out completely.
Dr Geronimi is calling on the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to open the lake to the ocean to provide its inhabitants with sea water, which they need to survive.
She said this would also provide the marine life with an escape route to the ocean and help neutralise the acidic water environment of the lake.
DPI Fisheries Senior Fisheries Manager Coastal Systems, Jonathan Yantsch said unfortunately in the short term, heavy rain following drought can wash organic matter and sediment which has built up during the dry period into waterways.
"In areas that have suffered through the recent bushfires, ash and debris from those events can also be swept along with the run-off.
"This can reduce water quality and lower the level of available oxygen, which can be dangerous for native fish in systems that have already been stressed by the drought."
At the November 2019 council meeting, council voted in favour of obtaining a one-off licence from Crown Lands to open the lake.
However, before that licence is granted, council must conduct a review of environmental factors (REF). The last time this was done for the waterway at Lake Cathie was 1995.
A spokesperson from Crown Lands said Port Macquarie-Hastings Council made an application on November 22, 2019 to the department for a short term licence to dredge the entrance of Lake Cathie.
"The council was advised on December 5, 2019 that for the application to be considered by the department, it needs to complete an environmental impact assessment for the works," the spokesperson said.
"Crown Lands will expedite the application once the assessment has been received from council."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Crown Lands says Port Macquarie-Hastings Council opened Lake Cathie in 2018 without approval from the department.
NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries encouraged people to report any fish deaths which may result from poor water quality, stemming from runoff.
For more information, please visit https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/
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