Published on Tuesday, 19 December 2023 at 11:36:00 AM
The Lions Weir Reference Group have met throughout 2023, to determine the most feasible and suitable long term solution for removing silt from the river, to allow an increase in recreational use. Following an engineering assessment of the weir wall and further sampling of the river sediment, various options were considered for remediation:
- Build a new wall. This approach was considered to be cost prohibitive and problematic in terms of gaining necessary environmental approvals.
- Install a sluice gate (or similar) into the current wall. The retrofitting of a gate into the current structure was seen as problematic, as this may disturb the integrity of the existing wall.
- Maintain the current wall and undertake dredging as required, i.e. every 20-30 years, depending on the rate of sediment build up.
After considering the volume of silt accumulated over the last 40 years, the current state of the weir wall, the cost, and the complexity and challenges of a mechanical solution, the Reference Group recommended to Council that the weir wall should be left as is, with minor maintenance. Council accepted this recommendation at the November Council meeting, and endorsed the direction to apply for the necessary approvals to allow a dredging program to occur.
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