Council commits $250,000 to develop management plan for Einbunpin Lagoon

Council has made a commitment to fix ongoing problems at a suburban lagoon, with the allocation of $250,000 to develop a long-term management plan.

Council has allocated $250,000 to develop a long-term management plan for Einbunpin Lagoon in Sandgate. Picture: Renee McKeown

COUNCIL has made a commitment to fix ongoing problems at Einbunpin Lagoon, with the allocation of $250,000 to develop a long-term management plan.

The lagoon in the centre of Sandgate has been neglected for years, with concrete edging constantly crumbling, concerns about water quality and regular blooms of toxic blue green algae.

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Cr Jared Cassidy (Deagon) said he was very excited about the funding.

Cracks in the retaining wall at Einbunpin Lagoon were repaired last year, but some have already slipped back into the lagoon. Picture: Michelle Smith

“This is what we’ve been looking for for a long time,” he said.

“To date we haven’t had a comprehensive plan for the long-term management of the lagoon and a plan for solutions for the water quality issues.

“There’s only ever been regular maintenance — each week council officers will check the aerators etc, but there’s been no long-term plan.

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“There’s been no document which says why that’s happening and how you fix it. So this is an important first step.

“We’ve said in the past if we’re not going to do anything about the lagoon, it may as well be filled in.

“Hopefully the plan will be followed by budgeted allocations to carry out the solutions.”

Cr Cassidy said in Council today the lagoon has suffered from regular blue green algae blooms and persistent poor water quality for many years.

The murky green water at Einbunpin Lagoon. Picture: Michelle Smith

“The smell is often less than pleasant and the stop gap measures like wall repairs don’t last the distance.

“The work carried out last year has already slipped into the lagoon and now pool fencing keeps people away from the dangers.

“I don’t think we should be under any illusion that the Einbunpin Lagoon is a particularly pristine environment.

“While, as a water body, it used to be natural, we gave up that pretence many years ago when as a Council it was filled to make way for a carpark. A lot of that fill proved to be less than ideal — things like ash which has over time leached into the lagoon.

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“So the Einbunpin Lagoon should be looked at as an asset that needs management and this one certainly needs quite a lot.”

Cr Cassidy said there was a lot of silt which has left the lagoon as shallow as one metre in places.

“This silt will continue to build up while we have steep concrete walls and no natural filtration like reeds and rushes and plans like lomandra along the edges.

“We need more filtration in the lagoon itself which could be achieved through wetland areas, and the nutrient load of things like tilapia and proper management of the ibis population need to occur.”

Ibis at Einbunpin Lagoon. Picture: Michelle Smith

Cr Cassidy told Council a previous proposal to reclaim some of the parkland for a wetland style area for better water filtration was not broadly supported by the community.

“Discussions I’ve had with experts in Council suggest that the better option may be reducing the area of open water, rather than expanding the lagoon,” he said.

The current state of the lagoon reinforces the need for a long-term management plan.

“At the moment the blue green algae is not too bad because of the cooler weather and there is a fair volume of water in it as we’ve had some rain,” Cr Cassidy said.

“But the general quality of the water is quite turbid. It’s green, smelly and stagnant.

“Without doing something, without getting a plan in place and solutions, what we see there now is the best we will have.

“I think the hard work in the community and people’s persistence in calling for something to be done has paid off and council has now listened.”