AN alderman has dismissed a promised one- cubic-metre increase in water flow through Launceston's Cataract Gorge as a disappointing trickle.
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Hydro Tasmania announced yesterday that it had concluded its two-year review to determine the appropriate environmental flow through the Gorge.
Hydro business sustainability manager Andrew Scanlon said it had decided to increase the base flow from 1.5 cumecs to 2.5 cumecs.
"We think that this is a good result for the Gorge and a good result for Launceston," Mr Scanlon said.
"There was not a lot of difference to be seen between 2.5 cumecs and 3 cumecs.
He said the cost to Hydro in lost power generation would be about $600,000.
Launceston Alderman Jeremy Ball said that he would on Monday push for a Hydro briefing to the council to be expanded to a public meeting.
"I think that there will be a lot of people disappointed at this decision and it would be good for Hydro to present its reasons and evidence at a public forum so that they can hear the community's response," Alderman Ball said.
"This is such a small increase, just a trickle."
He said that he was surprised that Hydro Tasmania had announced its decision on the Gorge yesterday without coming back to the council first as had been expected.
Mr Scanlon said that Hydro officers had briefed council infrastructure director Harry Galea last week.
He said that he could not give a date when water flow would be increased because Hydro had to first get a threatened species permit from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks and Wildlife.
That was because the extra water flow could reduce the habitat for some threatened plant species in the Gorge.
Alderman Ball described Hydro's threatened species argument as a "red herring".
The Hydro said it could not mount a business case for a mini-hydro plant at Duck Reach and development of the area as a tourist attraction was not viable for Hydro.
It wants further talks with the council about it chasing funding for the project.