Work has commenced on a major erosion control project on the banks of the Williams River between Seaham and Clarence Town.
The work will help prevent further erosion and enhance water quality, ensuring a sustainable future for the river and its surrounding communities.
Phase one of the work began this week, with several riverfront landowners undertaking remediation works on their properties.
Erosion control measures include the placement of engineered rock and log structures, bank revegetation, weed removal, and the installation of stock management fencing.
Boating restrictions will be in place between Clarence Town and Seaham during the work. This will include temporary exclusion areas and no-wash zones within the wakeboarding area, with river users encouraged to follow the directions provided by signs, markers, and buoys.
Hunter Water executive manager customer delivery Glen Robinson said the work would ensure the river remained a valuable community resource.
"The Williams River is an important asset to our community, and its preservation is crucial for both local ecosystems and our water supply. It is a vital component in supplying drinking water to over half a million people in the Lower Hunter, with around half of the water in Grahamstown Dam being pumped from this river system," he said.
Future population growth and the impacts of climate change meant the Lower Hunter needs a resilient and reliable drinking water supply from the Williams River to ensure the long-term sustainability of the region.
This project was coordinated in collaboration with several government agencies through the development of the Erosion Management Plan for the Seaham Weir Pool. The partnership includes Hunter Water, Transport for NSW, Hunter Local Land Services, DPI-Fisheries, and the Port Stephens and Dungog Shire councils.
For further details, as well as information for landholders, head to www.hunterwater.com.au/erosionplan
