A maintenance crew will start to plug a leak under a prominent weir on Wednesday, after locals were shocked to see the water level plummet in an inner-city lake.
Works will be conducted below the dam wall at Sunshine Cove in Maroochydore, following the discovery of a significant leak through the soil.
Traffic will be impacted on major thoroughfare Maroochy Boulevard while works are done.
Local resident and project manager for the estate’s developer Chardan Development Group, Glen Cassidy, was among the first to notice that things were awry.
“It was on Saturday, on my way to coffee with my wife, taking our usual loop around the lake, that gave me a firsthand insight into the issue of the falling water level,” he said.
Mr Cassidy contacted engineers, civil contractors, and representatives of Sunshine Coast Council to inform them of the issue, and to act.
“An initial review revealed that the Sunshine Cove’s lake level dropped steadily over the weekend as a result of water escaping underneath the weir adjacent to the Maroochy Boulevard bridge,” he said.
Another local, Mike Menzie, told Sunshine Coast News the water level dropped suddenly.
“It has fallen by over one metre in the last two days,” he said late Sunday.
Chardan issued a media release on Tuesday and said the lake’s water level had now reached a balance between the upstream and downstream water levels, and it was expected to remain that way while works were carried out.
The developer urged residents to take caution around the lake as rocks have been exposed and said people may notice increased marine odour due to the revetment wall being exposed.
Chardan anticipated that the lake level would remain lower than normal for several days, while maintenance was performed.
The western side of Maroochy Boulevard and the underpass footpath were due to be closed on Tuesday, to prepare for site works on Wednesday.
Traffic control will be in place and Maroochy Boulevard traffic flow will be disrupted while the western lane is closed.
Pedestrians and cyclists who usually use the bridge underpass will need to detour along the footpath on the eastern side of Maroochy Boulevard.
Chardan said progress of maintenance work would be dependent on weather and tidal conditions, but it was anticipated to be completed before the weekend.
Once works are completed the lake reticulation pumps will be returned to normal operating hours and will assist in raising the lake water level. That was expected to happen within a week.
Sunshine Cove, which is less than 20 years old, is a waterside community in the heart of the Sunshine Coast.
The lake, maintained and managed by Chardon and owned by council, was created in 2006.
It holds about a million kilolitres (400 Olympic swimming pools) and covers about 25 hectares (62 acres).
Mr Cassidy said Chardan does monthly water tests and its engineers work with council on maintenance issues.
“The water in the lake has a number of sources,” he said.
“Estuary water overtops the weir during high tides plus it is pumped via a pipe from Cornmeal Creek, up Maroochy Boulevard into the lake at the Mercedes Benz end of Sunshine Cove, and its primary function is to circulate the water.
“The lake also forms part of the management strategy for stormwater runoff for the Buderim catchment area.
“That function has not been compromised or is at risk with the current maintenance works being undertaken.”
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