Mayor Cr Neville Kschenka today announced Narrandera Shire Council is seeking funds to conduct a feasibility study into Lake Coolah and Lake Mejum as an off Murrumbidgee River Water Storage location. 

Located 12 kilometres north of Narrandera, Lake Coolah and Lake Mejum are a series of natural lakes at the southern end of the Narrandera ranges within the Murrumbidgee catchment area that captures and stores rain and stormwater flow from the areas and regions below the headwaters and Blowering and Burrinjuck Dams. 

Mayor Kschenka stated, "The Lake Coolah Mejum area has been identified as a potential source capable of saving water by providing a mid-river storage location, and the project meets the criteria of the Australian Government's Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program."

The Program focuses on improving water logistics, water quality and meeting the goals of the Australian Government to recover 450,000 megalitres of water for the benefit of the environmental program, while sustaining the economic viability of the regional agricultural and agribusiness commerce and employment.

While this Lake Coolah water storage opportunity has been studied from the 1930s through to the 1980s, significant advances in modern technologies in the design and operation of water storage present an opportunity to undertake a contemporary feasibility assessment. With the introduction of the Murray Darling Basin (MDB) Plan, water trading, water as an investment assets class, permanent higher valued tree and vine cropping, and off-farm processing investments, there is ample reason to investigate the viability of this project for both environmental goals, regional drought security, and regional food production sustainability beyond 2025.

Narrandera Shire Council has engaged Arche Consulting principal Mr John Madden to develop the scoping study to support the application, Mr Madden is well-practiced in the MDB plan, its guidelines, and long-term objectives. 

Community Information Session

Council will host a community information session to discuss the grant application and proposed feasibility study of Lake Coolah and Lake Mejum water storage. Interested stakeholders and the public are invited to attend. 

Where: Emergency Operations Centre, 17 Twynam Street, Narrandera.

When: 5.30pm Wednesday, 6 November 2024.

For more information, please contact Narrandera Shire Council's Economic Development Manager on 02 6959 5510 or email council@narrandera.nsw.gov.au.