Lake Pedder is ready to be restored. More than 50 years after being drowned, Lake Pedder lies pristine beneath 15 meters of water. The power it contributes is just three per cent of Tasmania’s total and can easily be replaced. Concerningly, the Hydro Tasmania’s dams which drown the lake are ageing and high-risk, posing a flood risk to downstream communities.
We are now at a critical moment. The old dams impounding Pedder require $100m+ in maintenance as they are ageing and built on an active earthquake fault line. We have an opportunity to invest in restoration instead of ageing infrastructure. But we are running out of time, the Federal Government’s approval of dam works threaten our efforts.