Council monitoring Smiths Lake

Published on 14 May 2024

MidCoast Council is closely watching Smith Lakes levels in case an opening is needed, as high rainfall has been recorded over the past few weeks.

Smiths Lake has increased significantly to 1.74 m above mean sea level (AHD), as of today, Tuesday 14 May. The trigger level for opening the Lake is 2.10m AHD.

“We monitor the Lake levels and weather forecast closely once the water level approaches the trigger for opening,” said Council’s Manager Natural Systems, Gerard Tuckerman.

“At this stage predicted weather conditions do not warrant an opening. However, with wet weather probable in the coming months, it is very likely that an opening will be required in the near future.”

Smiths Lake is an intermittently closed and open Lake or Lagoon. This type of lake naturally opens to the ocean in response to high water levels in the lake and they close as a result of sand movement from waves, tides and wind.  

Smiths Lake is opened manually to prevent minor flooding of property and roads in an environmentally sensitive way.

When planning an opening, Council must consider the best conditions to maximise the health and productivity of the estuary and ensure lake levels are high enough to optimise the opening.

You can keep an eye on Smiths Lake water levels with real time data on the NSW Government website at: http://mhl.nsw.gov.au/Site-209465.

“We’re encouraging residents and visitors to monitor Lake levels and our website for notice of the Lake opening and make plans to remove your vessels from the Lake so they are not stranded when it is opened,” said Mr Tuckerman.

For more information, view the video about how Smiths Lake is managed and the Smiths Lake Coastal Zone Management Plan on our website at: www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/lakemanagement.