As the deadline for the community to have their say regarding The Channon/Dunoon dam reaches the eleventh hour, a newly-formed alliance, WATER Northern Rivers presented hundreds of submissions of objection today.
The group delivered the submissions to Rous County Council – the hard-copy objections are in addition to those presented to Rous online.
The group say a new report from Professor Stuart White (UTS, Sydney) says that the costly dam is unnecessary and that it would increase the cost of water significantly, and run the risk of creating a very expensive ‘white elephant’.
They say it would also waste an opportunity to support employment in the region.
Further, they say that Professor White’s report argues that the Rous assessment process failed to adequately analyse and cost investment in water efficiency, and that it incorrectly applied the concept of marginal cost in comparing options.
Spokesperson for WATER Northern Rivers, Annie Kia, said in view of this report, they are calling on Rous County Council to stop promoting the dam. ‘We want then to adopt a management approach that values water at every part of its journey.
‘This dam is destructive all round. It would obliterate Aboriginal Heritage. It would drown exceptionally rare rainforests. And with its eye-watering price-tag of $240 million dollars, it would increase the cost of water to consumers and industry.
’21st century water is about a suite of options: water efficiency; water harvesting (rain tanks, urban run-off); and water re-use. We need local councils to adopt policies that optimise water, instead of wasting it.
Ms Kia says by sinking all our resources into a costly dam, we can kiss goodbye to the smart water options that would make our system fit for the 21st century. ‘This would be a huge price to pay for reaching back to last-century thinking.’
Professor White’s report is online as a brief summary.
The Rous Future Water Project 2060 is currently on public display, with a decision due before the end of 2020.
Public comments are welcome, and can be made until the evening of Wednesday 9 September here.
Below is a new short film from Aerial Punkin showing the area to be inundated if the dam proceeds:
More stories about the Dunoon Dam
Dunoon dam and future water strategies to remain contentious on Rous
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Ballina mayor vies for second term ‘leading the rebuild’
Ballina Shire’s mayoral race this September looks to be a competition between two women, one progressive, the other conservative, after both candidates announced campaigns last week.
How to supply water to the increasing population?
It is predicted that the next 40 years will see the demand for water increase by 50 per cent in the local government areas that Rous County Council supply with water.
Is our drinking water supply threatened by Dunoon Dam?
Most people don’t know that the proposal for Dunoon Dam has never been part of Rous County Council’s 40-year, adopted, strategic plan to increase water supply, resilience and security, known as Future Water Plan 2060.
Will the Dunoon Dam go ahead?
We have not heard much about the Dunoon Dam lately and many people are asking ‘What is happening with that dam?’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
