All the scientific reports prepared for local and state authorities on sediment management in the upper reaches since Foster in 1986 up to this day, have very clearly identified that the South Esk and its tributaries are the source of almost all the fine particle silt entering the Tamar, which is then turned into mud when flocculated with the salt water from the estuary, which in turn is “pumped” back up into Home Reach and the North Esk by the asymmetrical tidal action.

Yes, the Trevallyn Dam does block the coarse sand and sediments which formed on the banks in front of the Tamar Yacht Club before the construction of the dam.

But the fine particle clays remain in suspension through the Power Station until they form flocks of mud around the Tamar Island area.

If you examine the sediment now, it is all mud.

As for the location of the barrage, flood studies have shown that if a barrage were placed in any location south of the Batman bridge, not only would you only be simply shifting the sediment deposits further downstream, but you would be greatly exacerbating the flooding risk for Launceston despite the recent construction of the $70 million levee system.

WITH Easter buns hitting the supermarket shelves at Christmas those that eat them are just pagans, unbelievers of Christ. Christmas and Easter have special meanings for Christians and they need to be respected, not by those that are out to destroy the meaning of Christmas.

Our governments need to stop the retail industry mockery of Christmas and Easter by limiting when they can sell Christmas and Easter items to a few weeks before, not months.

It is time for people to stop buying from bakeries that have no respect for Easter selling Easter eggs, let the businesses go bankrupt.

IN RESPONSE to Peter Wilson’s letter (The Examiner, December 28) we scribes only write the letters we have absolutely no say on if they will be published.

To say that the editorial staff at The Examiner are not capable of regulating the flow from some writers and allow some to hog the section is an insult to the staff.

I am sure the experienced staff are well able to select for publication those letters that are topical, well written, not litigious and concise and to the point, no matter who writes them.

FOR ALL of your clever analysis on wind turbines Jack Sonneman (The Examiner, January 2) there is one one glaring error and that is “the data shows”.

What data Jack?

You quote no source.

One study quoted in The Guardian, February 29, 2012 (Meta- analysis of net energy return for wind power systems) concludes the following:

The average wind farm produces 20-25 more times during its operational life than what was used to construct and install its turbines.

Average energy payback was 3-6 months.

Energy used to transport and install turbines was insignificant.

Forgive me, but on your reasoning perhaps one should stay in bed.

The energy used to get up and about, produce and consume food is far in excess of the energy required to lie still and breathe’.

THE PRESENT Tasmanian government’s negative advertising campaign, which had commenced at least three months before an election is due, is pathetic.

It is patently obvious the Liberals are running scared and have nothing to offer in relation to their own performance.

AS I DROVE along the West Tamar Highway, passing cyclists riding three abreast, heading to the CBD, I wondered are cyclists breath and drug tested?

And if not why not? Is it because they don’t have to be registered?

And that’s another huge mistake.

IF YOUR New Year’s resolutions include more exercise, more time with family and friends, more outdoor activity, less sitting down, more walking, less burning fossil fuel, more healthy recreation, then join me in encouraging the start of conversion of the North East Rail Line to a recreation facility for the benefit of all our communities.  

LIKE SOME sick joke, Australia begins three years on the UN’s Human Rights Council.

Bishop stated that we will bring expertise on Indigenous rights, as well as unique Pacific views on matters.

This would mean how they denied the Aboriginals an apology on the Stolen Generation, abuse of their rights, crushing land claims. When it comes to showing how to create virtual concentration camps Australia has that covered to, Howard-Ruddock’s inland camps of that era to the lost people of Nauru to Manus.

AN OLD saying my late mother used when we disagreed was “go on with your goat”.

To this day I’m not really sure what mum meant with that saying, I never had a goat?

Can any readers please explain?