Call for North Canal funding

Funding opportunities for embankment stability works along North Canal Rd will be pursued by Baw Baw Shire Council to avoid the road eventually being closed.
Frustrated by the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority's lack of shared responsibility for the waterway and road asset between Yarragon and Trafalgar East, council will seek funding to address continued erosion and road deterioration issues.
Council officers fear ongoing deterioration of the road will lead to its eventual closure.
In a report to council, officers said erosion of the waterway embankments were continuing to impact road users and access to properties, resulting in community expectations for council to undertake immediate remediation or repair works.
Council is responsible for all maintenance, renewal and upgrades for North Canal Rd but officers said discussions relating to responsibilities for long term management of the waterway bank and bed modifications had failed to reach a reasonable outcome.
Officers said council had always maintained that the Moe River/Moe Drain was not a council asset and therefore the responsibility for funding and larger scale maintenance and stability works would sit with the WGCMA.
Previous legal advice indicated the WGCMA was responsible for the Moe River as an asset and the management and maintenance.
However, a Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning rural drainage strategy indicated responsibility was based on a "beneficiary pays" principle and as such any embankment works primarily benefit council as the works would protect North Canal Rd.
"Although the WGCMA is aware of the deteriorating nature of the river and its banks, it does not have the necessary funding to attend to any remedial works.
"WGCMA advised their waterway maintenance role is contained to ongoing river health," officers said.
The report to council said during periods of high flows along the Moe River system, the waterway banks were vulnerable to erosion and collapse, impacting both council road assets and private property that abut the waterway.
"No regular or significant maintenance of the river, its banks, levies or flood gates have been carried out for many years, subsequently leaving it vulnerable when flowing at capacity.
"This has resulted in the erosion of the river banks and has affected various sections of North Canal Rd between Yarragon and Trafalgar East
Officers said the damage was not contained to North Canal Rd, with the unsealed South Canal Rd also susceptible to damage during periods of high rainfall.
Cr Peter Kostos said there had been problems with North Canal Rd for many many years.
He said the eastern section sustained a major malfunction in 2009/10 which cost council about $2 million.
Since then, he said the WGCMA had continued in its lack of due diligence and maintenance of the canal. "They have continued to say it's not their responsibility."
"The state government and the CMA are not doing the works that are needed which is now affecting the road in the western end where we have spent $70,000 on rock stabilisation works.
"The WGCMA said they have done some maintenance on the canal but I suggest it was a long long time ago.
"If we don't do this, there is big potential that more of the North Canal will be shut. This will end up costing council a lot of money if it's not done," he said.
Cr Tricia Jones said the photographs spoke volumes of the deterioration of the road.
"This roads serves the community as well as milk tankers and agricultural transport...it is just dreadful.
"The WGCMA have only carried our minor maintenance. Their negligence in prioritising this asset is really sad for the people who live along there.
"There's a lot of rhetoric about supporting farmers and business but there has been very little done to give money to this for the maintenance that is required," she said.
Cr Danny Goss said no maintenance had been done on the river system for years.
"Council own the roads, the state government own the water assets. Their negligence is damaging our assets so who pays? Well it won't be ratepayers.
"This road will probably eventually have to close. The government can't get their hands dirty on the day to day issues that affect people's lives - this is a very serious problem," he said.