The Beagle
Jan 4, 2021
Coila Lake was opened today gaining the interest of just about everyone in the town as they lined Tuross Boulevarde and Coila foreshore vantage points to watch the proceedings.
Council's Opening Policy for Coila Lake is when it reaches a height of 2m. The height at 8:30pm Jan 3rd 2021 was 2.061m. As can be seen in the image below taken by Ocean View Photography Maree Jackson the lake was indeed full.
Above: The Coila Lake when full can impact the highway. Photo Ocean View Photography Maree Jackson
While a full lake posses little threat to the village of Tuross Head it does threaten the underground infrastructure of tanks at the Coila Service Station and also has the potential to compromise the sub-base of the Princes Highway along the Coila straight.
With that in mind a trigger is set that requires Council to step in and open the lake. Normally closed, the lake is referred to as an ICOLL (Intermittently Open and Closed Lakes or Lagoons). With the recent rains Coila had filled rapidly.
Today saw an excavator arrive and begin cutting a channel perpendicular to the sea on a rising tide. This in itself led to much discussion by armchair engineers who had seen the lake open and close on many previous occasions, with and without long term success.