Bodkin Park Living Stream Draft Concept Plan

As per the update in June 2019, the City developed a revised design to allow nutrient stripping and sedimentation to occur in the north lake prior to the stormwater running into the south lake via the open drain and included some wetland and dryland plantings to accommodate grant requirements

The revised design was presented at a meeting with a number of the petitioners, City staff and a Councillor in attendance. Community members requested the exclusion of all dryland plantings from the plan and that the existing open stormwater drain adjacent to the north lake remain untouched. They also required that wetland plantings only be located on the south side of the lake near the stormwater outlet.

This feedback was considered by the project partners, including the City, SERCUL, Water Corporation and Perth NRM. The project partners determined that taking these requirements into account would mean the project no longer meets grant funding requirements. As a result, the project has been cancelled and remaining funds reallocated to another project.

The feedback received in late 2018 has been analysed and there was fairly balanced support for and against the Draft Concept Plan overall, with many similar concerns raised in the feedback, all of which can be viewed in the Stakeholder Engagement Feedback and Outcomes Report.

In December 2018 the City of South Perth Council received a petition against the Draft Concept Plan and Council consequently requested a briefing about the project, which took place in mid-February. Following the briefing, Council added the north lake to the scope of the project. The City is now considering other options that will retain the key project objectives of improving storm water quality entering the Canning River and retaining the $270,000 of external funding. The project will now focus on the north lake in Bodkin Park, which receives storm water from the Water Corporation main drain. The revised scope will allow nutrient stripping and sedimentation to occur in the north lake prior to the storm water running into the south lake via the open drain. Other elements of the current Draft Concept Plan will also be considered in revising the draft.

The revised Draft Concept Plan is still being developed and will be available for feedback in July 2019. We will be in touch with you closer to this time to invite you to attend an on-site drop in information session and/or provide feedback.

Bodkin Park in Waterford features two lakes (north and south) connected by a channel of open drain, which is part of the Bodkin Park stormwater management system.

This system contributes large volumes of fresh water into the Andrew Thomson Conservation Reserve wetlands which has a detrimental impact on the flora and fauna in the wetlands due to high nutrient levels in urban stormwater runoff.

In partnership with the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare (SERCUL) and Water Corporation, the City has received a grant from Perth NRM to establish a new living stream at Bodkin Park between the north and south lakes.

A living stream is a man-made stormwater channel that looks like a natural stream. As well as conveying stormwater, the nutrient stripping vegetation in the living stream also treats the water and creates diverse habitats for wildlife.

There is already a living stream located between the south lake in Bodkin Park and the Andrew Thomson Conservation Reserve wetlands which is not included in this project.

The existing wood-lined open drainage channel between the north and south lakes will be rehabilitated to create the new living stream and the introduction of indigenous wetland plants that strip the level of nutrients and contaminants in the water will aid in reducing the high levels of summer algal growth in the south lake and leading into the river. The new living stream will retain sight to the water and the vegetation will be low lying and less dense than the current living stream.

The living stream Draft Concept Plan demonstrates:

• ecological connectivity of the lake systems and the foreshore wetlands to allow movement of aquatic and amphibious animals through the area
• water quality improvements
• the retention of all existing mature and semi-mature trees
• environmental restoration and revegetation best management practice
• the retention of sight-lines and maintenance of physical access to the stream.