A scientific report into sedimentation management options in the upper Tamar will not be released before the election, despite it being expected in the first quarter of 2021.
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The Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce has been carrying out a "scientifically robust, evidence-based evaluation" of options for the river's sedimentation.
The findings of this report were preempted by the Liberal Party on the weekend when Premier Peter Gutwein announced $4 million to restart dredging, with $1 million further per year over four years.
Podcast and feature: Launceston is stuck in the mud, but what can be done?
A spokesperson for TEMT said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on the party's policy.
"Due to the election the report will not be released at this time," the spokesperson said.
A 2019 report to City of Launceston stated, in the past, dredged material in sediment ponds "had become acidic, and could not be used or disposed of without treatment".
"This is unsurprising given the nature of the benthic sediments and the known issues with acid sulfate soils in the upper estuary and associated swamps," the report reads.
Since then, the sediment ponds at Ti Tree Bend have become unavailable due to their use as sewer overflow. It means the ponds alongside the West Tamar Highway at Riverside would need to be used to dry out the dredged material - a process that takes several years - before it can be disposed of.
Mr Gutwein said the policy would initially involve the use of existing silt ponds, and he expected the $4 million could dredge "around 200,000 cubic metres of material", of which an estimated 85 per cent is water. The ponds on the West Tamar Highway have a capacity beneath this amount.
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Mr Gutwein said "some initial works will be required" on the ponds.
The party's policy was welcomed by the Tamar Action Group, which has been running the "fix the mud" campaign.
Group chair Andrew Lovitt said he did not believe "there's too much heavy metal" in the dredged material.
"This is the first concrete move where a sitting government has the guts to say on balance of the consequences and the dangers, it's worthwhile doing," he said.
"You can't close down the tourism or recreation industries, if that's a consequence of doing nothing."