WHILE the bread and butter of any shire council remains roads, bridges and rubbish, Nambucca is to be congratulated for thinking big in pushing the Bowra Dam which will be officially opened on Saturday.
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The sheer size of the off-river storage system may appear to be something of an overkill - but it’s a cornerstone that will future-proof our Valley against the stresses of drought.
It was only some 40 years ago that a neighbouring council up the hill - at Armidale - was pilloried for building what at the time was an overly large storage, Malpas Dam.
Yet that dam, which to this day still dwarfs the needs of Armidale’s population, has been a marketing plank for the university city. They have been able to advertise the town as place where water rationing is not needed, and pitch to industries who need a reliable and considerable supply, to relocate.
This will prove to be the case for Nambucca - and will give us a decided edge to say Coffs Harbour where their population growth has put pressure on infrastructure and resources such as water supply.
Our shire council should now have a rethink on the other potentials for the Bowra Dam.
While the security of a drinkable water supply is paramount, there are countless examples that the dam could also be used for recreational pursuits such as fishing, non-powered boating and as a picnic area.
