Cowra Shire Council Mayor, Bill West, has met with Federal and State Ministers over the last week bringing to their attention the need for Wyangala Dam's wall to be raised.
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"I took the opportunity to impress on Ministers and their staff, at meetings in Sydney and Canberra, they need to come and engage before any final decisions are made. We have some serious concerns regarding the methodology behind the Cost Benefit Analysis used to support the business case for the wall raising.
Despite there being no indication of funding for the project in the recent Federal budget, Mayor West encouraged the community to "remain positive."
Mayor West, who along with Council and the Central NSW Joint Organisation, has long advocated for the Wyangala Dam wall to be raised after record flooding throughout the Central West over the past decade.
Mayor West said, "it was vital all stakeholders continue to engage and there are reasons to still be optimistic.
"It is particularly important our State Government counterparts jump on the front foot especially now with a new Labor Government in power as floods (and drought) won't disappear," he said.
"Last year the Central NSW Joint Organisation backed calls by Lachlan Valley Water for the NSW Government to finalise the business and environmental cases for the Wyangala Dam wall raising project as a matter of priority.
"We are still waiting but we at Council have long supported a business case for the raising of the Wyangala Dam wall provided it is evidence-based, transparent and consultative.
"A business case will at least ensure some stability and allow for detailed planning for both water security and flood attenuation for the Lachlan valley.
"It's imperative the new government continues with the business case and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project - just as the previous government had so we can have informed discussions and make decisions," Mayor West said.
