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The WA Government says it will spend $7 million on a permanent solution to Carnarvon's long-running waterway woes.
Key points:
- Silt has choked up the coastal community's main waterway for years, blocking access to the ocean
- Relocating vessels and fee relief for boat owners are immediate steps in the planning
- A permanent solution is likely to involve building a new long channel less exposed to silting
Some 10 to 15 vessels stranded by the choked-up main waterway will be moved and penned in the boat harbour free of charge.
It is likely a new long channel will then be carved in a more protected part of the fascine.
"I think we've got a permanent solution," Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan said.
Silt has choked up the coastal community's main waterway for four years, blocking boating access to the ocean.
The yacht club marina has been landlocked and a $3 million community boat ramp rendered inaccessible.
The community stepped in last year with its own solution, buying and rebuilding a second-hand dredge dubbed Community Spirit.
Storms, however, have brought new silt to the waterway.
Stranded vessels to be rescued
Ms MacTiernan said the Department of Transport had worked closely with the Shire of Carnarvon, the Carnarvon Yacht Club and Gascoyne Development Commission on a solution.
"We are going to be looking at a variety of things that can be done immediately, which include relocating vessels over from the yacht club to the boat harbour, giving them fee relief, and then investing in delivering a permanent solution to the silting problem," she said.
Channel markers will also be regularly moved to ensure boats can safely use the deepest water.
Specialised equipment will be installed next month to help gather data to finalise a detailed design plan for a permanent fix, which would enable year-round access to the waterway for all craft, and then environmental approvals would be sought.
"I understand the preferred option they have put forward is now a new long channel on the other side from the existing channel," the Minister said.
"The argument is that this is an area which receives less turbulence so we expect that channel will remain clean for longer.
"It will need maintenance dredging, but the Department of Transport is working out how they might do that in alignment with the maintenance dredging that they do for the boat harbour every second year."
Funding for the work is part of the Government's $5.5 billion pandemic recovery plan.
The shire took control of the waterway from the Government 25 years ago but it is keen to hand it back.
Ms MacTiernan said that separate matter had not yet been settled.