And forward estimates projects jump up and down significantly over the next three to four years.

Under the Launceston City Deal, which is a joint funding collaboration between all three levels of government, programs for reducing the contaminants entering the Tamar attracted a total funding package of $140.7 million.

However, the budget papers show forward estimates predictions that funding for estuary programs will rise to $32.6 million this financial year, then will drop to $7.1 in 2023-24 and only $0.5 million in 2024-25.

That accounts for only $40.2 million of the $140.7 million total, which leaves a budget of $100.5 unallocated funding, noting that the forward estimates are a guide of funding, not a concrete figure of what will be spent in truth.

Signed in April 2017 by the federal government, the Tasmanian government and the City of Launceston; the Launceston City Deal was initially drawn up as a five-year plan, and in 2019 received a commitment from all levels of government to extend the initiative to 10 years.

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The initial period of the City Deal was to expire in 2022, but it will now be extended 2027.

A State Growth spokesperson said the $12.4 million funding allocation was part of the $140.7 million funding package secured as part of the Launceston City Deal.

"The $1 million spent in 2021-22 contributed to the catchment management plan," the spokesperson said.

The Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce was created under the Launceston City Deal to identify and manage investments to improve the health of the estuary.

As part of the work, TEMT will deliver the Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan.

Work at present is focused around actions in partnership with TasWater and the City of Launceston council to deliver $129.2 million infrastructure upgrades to reduce overflows from Launceston's combined sewage and stormwater.

Funding of $11.5 million was also allocate to the Catchments Works Program to reduce pathogens entering waterways across the kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary and Esk rivers catchments.

The State Growth spokesperson said so far the catchment management program had seen 336.9-kilometres of fencing completed on grazing and dairy farms to exclude stock from waterways, 1489 hectares of riparian area managed for regeneration and 1317 hectares of improved effluent management completed across dairy farms in the region.

"The unspent Launceston City Deal Tamar funding allocation from the 2021-22 budget has been carried over to 2022-23. The $7.1 million listed in the 2022-23 budget papers is the 2023-24 [forward estimate] allocation, not the 2022-23 expected expenditure," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the remainder of the funding allocated for Tamar Estuary improvements is to be spent on upgrades to Launceston's combined stormwater and sewerage system.

That work is being delivered by TasWater and is in the final stages of design, with some work already started.

TasWater provided an update on the TERHAP program last month, with capital delivery office planning and investigation group leader Andrew Truscott explaining a number of works planned around Launceston that formed part of the plan.

"All of the projects require a significant amount of investigation, analysis and planning to ensure we get the best outcome," Mr Truscott said.

"Recently, we have been undertaking some geotechnical investigations, to further our design of a new pipeline that will pass under the North Esk River.

"The purpose of the proposed pipeline is to improve the transfer of sewage and stormwater to our Ti Tree Bend Sewage Treatment Plant and reduce overflows from our combined system network."

The investigation will involve drilling into the riverbed to better understand the underlying materials. These investigations allow us to progress and tailor the pipeline design.

"Later this year we will also be commencing works to upgrade our pump station on Margaret Street, in addition to some smaller-scale works which all contribute to the TERHAP."

All up $129.2 million has been committed to Launceston's combined stormwater and sewerage system upgrades.

During the state election campaign last year, then-Premier Peter Gutwein promised his re-elected government would spend up to $4 million on site-specific dredging for the Tamar Estuary.

The spokesperson said the dredging funding was not included in the Launceston City Deal but was a separate allocation.

"The department has awarded a contract to Burbury Consulting to project manage and provide technical advice on site-specific dredging program," the spokesperson said.

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"Burbury Consulting are currently undertaking technical planning, site investigations, scientific surveys, analysis of the dredging options including equipment, approaches and silt disposal, environmental assessments and approvals needed to deliver the dredging program."

Site-specific dredging is likely to proceed despite the Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce's long-awaited sediment report advising against any type of dredging program.

Dredging was not recommended in the TEMT report as a viable option for sediment management because of the exorbitant cost and relatively small impact.

It showed dredging of any kind would have significant environmental impacts, including increased turbidity, increased nutrients, reduced dissolved oxygen and increased heavy metal concentrations in the water.

It's also somewhat back to the drawing board for the TEMT report, which produced options for reducing sediment to the state government last year.

The long-awaited report was supposed to be released prior to the state election, but State Growth cited caretaker conventions and waited until after the election to release the report.

However, there's been another kink in the road, with federal Labor committing $8.4 million to support the restoration of wetlands in the North Esk and the Tamar's tidal prism.

The spokesperson said the government had asked TEMT to consider the implications of that funding announcement considering the federal election result.

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"As the TEMT vision was developed prior to the recent federal election and the commitments made during the campaign, the government has asked the TEMT to provide further advice on how these fit together to get the best possible outcome for the estuary and community," the spokesperson said.

"As stated in the draft vision and throughout the consultation process, delivering the identified works in the vision will require funding commitments, likely from all three levels of government."

The TEMT report cost $35,000 to produce and was funded from an operational expenditure budget by Infrastructure Tasmania.

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