Cr Pinson will put forward a motion at tonight's (June 3) council meeting that the general manager give consideration to the development of concept designs for the Kenwood Drive bridge at Lake Cathie as part of council's 2020-2021 operational plan.

The configuration of the Kenwood Drive bridge which influences the flow of water from the back channel is considered to be one of the priority concerns in the future management of the waterway at Lake Cathie.

After 18 months of community lobbying lead by Cr Pinson, council took action and opened the lake on May 22 as a flood mitigation measure. The scraping of the sand berm was considered the most environmentally sensitive option and supported by state agencies, as opposed to a full excavation of a channel.

WATCH: It's open: lake floodwater at Lake Cathie released to the sea

Cr Pinson will also ask the general manager to table a report detailing any impacts undertaking the concept designs for the Kenwood Drive Bridge will have on existing priorities listed in the draft 2020-2021 Operational Plan, as well as identifying a potential funding source for the concept design work to be undertaken during 2020-2021.

She would also like council to engage Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams and Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie on the issue.

READ MORE: What a difference a week makes to the lake

Councillors met with advocacy group Revive Lake Cathie in August 2019 when the lake, in the grip of drought, was empty.

Revive Lake Cathie is lobbying council to widen Kenwood Drive bridge to improve tidal flows in the lake and believe the action is central to ensuring better long-term water quality.

It has been suggested the bridge, which spans a 10 metre opening over the waterway, needs to be widened by up to 36 metres.

Associate Professor at James Cook University, Colin Creighton, specialises in coastal systems. He inspected the condition of the lake in August 2019.

At that time, Prof Creighton's recommendations included replacing Kenwood Drive bridge within an entire causeway to allow good tidal flow and removing as much sand out of the two islands forming either side of Kenwood Drive Bridge recreating deep water holes and channels.

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