Large swells and high tides over the weekend have caused the closure of Tabourie Lake despite efforts by Council to open its entrance on Saturday evening.
Excavators were deployed to open the lake in line with Council's Tabourie Lake Entrance Management Policy, but large and powerful surf conditions pushed sand back into the channel after works were completed.
The action was taken as the heavy rainfall forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology for Saturday night would have resulted in the lake reaching its trigger level for a planned mechanical opening of 1.3m AHD overnight, in line with the NSW Crown Lands Licence.
The Bureau of Meteorology later revised the rainfall forecast, and the lake did not reach the planned opening level overnight.
The Tabourie Lake water level was 1.14 m AHD at 11.30am on Monday.
Crews, including an excavator, had also been mobilised and were on standby to mechanically open Lake Conjola, however the lake did not reach its Planned Opening Level of 1.0m AHD, as per the NSW Crown Lands Licence.
The Lake Conjola water level was 0.79m AHD at 11.30am on Monday.
Council will continue to monitor weather forecasts and lake levels and will open Tabourie Lake and Lake Conjola if the triggers for a planned opening are met.
A coastal hazard warning for damaging surf, issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, also remains in place for the South Coast.
As the lead agency in the response to floods and storms, the community is reminded to seek news and updates from the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Home | NSW State Emergency Service
For the latest flood and weather warnings see bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/
