Vincent mayor explains dried out Hyde Park lake exhausted limits of water allocation

Suburban lakes dried up so much over Perth’s long dry spell that councils were forced to ask for an increased groundwater allocation.

Vincent mayor Alison Xamon revealed at her council’s recent meeting that it could not fill the drying-out Hyde Park lake because it had reached the limit of its water allocation.

It had to apply to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation for a water increase.

Ms Xamon said there had been “quite a lot of concerns raised” that the lake had “dried out to such a degree”.

She said the city had reached 95 per cent of its water allocation and had gone to DWER “to see if that allocation can be lifted”.

“Part of the concern is also that we have got along with whole other parts of Western Australia our trees are dying … our verge trees as well as other trees,” she said. “This is really a crisis for us as a whole but obviously here in the city where we really do value our tree canopy, it is particularly concerning.

“So that is an issue our Gardens team is well and truly on and trying to see if we can negotiate to be able to save as many of our trees as we possibly can.

“This is the sort of effect of climate change that we need to be looking at addressing.”

PerthNow understands the city’s request to DWER was knocked back along with other councils’ requests to help fill with filling their lakes. Vincent’s annual groundwater allocation is 25,000kl for the Hyde Park lake.

DWER controls the groundwater licensing and allocation for all local governments.

Ms Xamon said residents had contacted her about establishing a Friends of Hyde Park group.

“My response to that is ‘what a fantastic idea’,” she said.

She also said the Hyde Park Reference Group had started meeting.

The group of professionals and local experts would provide advice on Hyde Park tree planting after the decimation of trees from the shot-hole borer.

“So that we have some clear guidance as to the best way to move forward with replanting following the removal of trees as a result of Polyphagous shot-hole borer,” she said.

DWER has been contacted for comment.