Parties clash over dam use plan

Plans to open Wellington Dam to recreation and restock it with fresh water fish while drawing on it as a key water source for industry and agriculture have come under fire.

Deputy Premier Kim Hames said on Monday the Liberals planned to rule out the dam as a drinking water source and reserve it solely for agriculture, industry and recreation if re-elected next month.

Drinking water has not been drawn from the dam since 1990 because the water had become too salty. It is now used as a water source by industry and agriculture, with limited recreation allowed on its shores.

Collie River campaigner Ed Riley described Dr Hames’ plan as a “furphy” and warned further draining the dam for industry would have serious consequences.

Mr Riley spent five years as the Collie Shire Council’s delegate on the South West Development Commission’s Wellington Dam committee. He said the plans would allow an additional 20 billion litres a year be pumped from the dam.

“The dam should not be industrialised. Plans to de-proclaim it for industrial and agricultural uses are poorly thought out, ” he said.

“We can’t let it happen.”

Harvey Water general manager Geoff Calder said while he supported the plans to open up the dam to more uses, its salinity problem had to be fixed.

“The current Government promised to do something about salinity at the last election and we would like to see that promise turned into action, ” he said.

Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said the Government had done nothing to reduce salinity and had removed $32 million in Wellington Weir desalination funding.

“If the current Government hadn’t cancelled the funding, we could be swimming in Wellington Weir right now instead of just talking about it, ” he said.

Dr Hames said the plans would provide water security for local industry and agriculture as well as an exciting base for tourism and recreational pursuits.

Liberal candidate for Collie-Preston Jaimee Motion said the commitment would increase tourism opportunities for the region.

Mr Riley predicted any fish introduced into the dam would die due to the deteriorating water quality.

“Fish species including callop, red fin perch, brown trout and rainbow trout, murray cod and eel were all previously introduced into the dam and only the red fin has survived, ” he said.

He said Lake Kepwarri could be used for boating and waterskiing.