: News Article

Health Issue on Ross River Dam will not be Compromised

1/6/1999

NQ Water members agreed at a meeting this week to commission a recreational management strategy for Ross River Dam.

NQ Water Chairman, Ian Hamilton, said safeguarding public health remains the number one priority, however a consultant will be appointed to devise a recreation plan that would not comprise the health issue.

"A 1997 report prepared for NQ Water on recreational use of Ross River Dam will also be taken into consideration once more and better points from that report could be incorporated in this new study.

"Ross River Dam is first and foremost a water storage and flood mitigation facility and it may not be in the best interests of the population at large to open it for recreational use.

The new recreational management strategy should help determine the direction in which NQ Water could and should move on this matter.

"There have been many people over the years urging NQ Water to open Ross River Dam for recreation year-round. This decision to appoint a consultant to produce a recreactional strategy, is one NQ Water had been considering for some time," Mr Hamilton said.

More information:
Ian Hamilton
Telephone: 4772 1166
Mobile: 0418 777 284

Media contact:
Harry Landman
Telephone: 4779 6619
Mobile: 0418 743 37

© 2004 NQ Water