Work To Polish Off Spit For Lake Health

Newcastle Herald

Thursday February 10, 2005

GR

WORK has begun to remove a spit at the entrance to Cockle Creek that has been causing heavy metals to enter Lake Macquarie and eroding a wetland.

The $300,000 job includes building a 32-metre rock groyne off the south-western end of Speers Point Park to prevent the spit from forming again.

Lake Macquarie catchment co-ordinator Jeff Jansson said the groyne would stop sediment drifting from Speers Point.

That sediment combined with deposits moving down Cockle Creek had formed the spit and blocked half the creek's mouth.

Boats had trouble navigating the mouth without running aground or disturbing the creek bed.

"The wetland has eroded about five metres over the last few years," Mr Jansson said.

The wetland carried contaminated materials from the old Pasminco lead and zinc smelter.

Mr Jansson said he was negotiating with Pasminco's administrator to dump the sediment on the Pasminco site, which had piles of slag on it to be capped.

The work is expected to take four weeks.

© 2005 Newcastle Herald

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