Antinuclear

Parramatta riverside sites under threat from rising sea levels

Rising sea a threat to riverside homes November 3, 2012 SMH Nicole Hasham WATER will swamp homes and businesses from Haberfield to Homebush as rising sea levels inundate the Parramatta River foreshore over the next century, a new analysis shows. The findings are critical as valuable river frontage becomes increasingly urbanised and former industrial sites are redeveloped into housing.
Even under a limited sea level rise of 0.4 metres, predicted by 2050,
the area of riverside land submerged every year would increase by 450
per cent on current levels.
Once the sea level rises to 0.9 metres, which is forecast by the end
of the century, residential land in the lower estuary, which covers
suburbs including Haberfield, Rodd Point and Drummoyne, could be
inundated annually.
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More homes at Haberfield and Drummoyne and residential land at Canada
Bay and Meadowbank could be engulfed every 100 years, on average.
Water would also threaten industrial land at Homebush Bay, Homebush,
Rydalmere and Rosehill, golf courses at Five Dock and Concord, roads
at Chiswick, open space at Lilyfield and parks in other suburbs.
The report by consultants Cardno, presented to Parramatta Council late
last month, is believed to be the first such coastal hazard assessment
of the Parramatta River estuary.
It is based on United Nations sea level forecasts previously used by
councils to map hazard areas. Those benchmarks were dumped by the
O’Farrell government in September, prompting criticism that the new
policy would confuse councils trying to manage climate change effects.
The report shows 1180 lots are at risk of inundation once a year. This
would jump to 2270 lots under a 0.9-metre sea level rise.
As well as damaging land and buildings, inundation could affect the
estuarine ecology, disrupt the stormwater network and cause economic
loss and “human injury or stress”, the report said.
It could also render parks and open space unviable for public use and
restrict emergency vehicle access. The findings are part of a broader
draft plan to guide future management of the estuary, which
recommended restriction of new foreshore developments in areas at risk
of inundation, stormwater network upgrades and a more co-ordinated
strategic planning approach.
Eight councils and at least eight government agencies have
responsibility for the river, complicating efforts to manage climate
change impacts.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/rising-sea-a-threat-to-riverside-homes-20121102-28phj.html#ixzz2BCKDu5K7

November 3, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change - global warming, New South Wales