Smiths Lake - How & why we open it to the sea

Smiths Lake is an ‘Intermittently Closed and Open Lake and Lagoon’ in the MidCoast region of NSW, part of the Great Lakes Marine Park and surrounded by Smiths Lake village, rural properties, and Myall Lakes National Park.
The lake and surrounds have high environmental value and offer outstanding natural beauty.
The lake supports water-based recreation, tourism and professional and recreational fishing.
So Why is the Lake ‘opened’?
Science and local knowledge inform the opening procedure for the Lake.
If left to nature, Smiths Lake would open to the ocean when the Lake levels reached 2.5 - 3.5 metres and could overtop the beach dune.
To prevent localised flooding, MidCoast Council opens the Lake when it reaches the 2.1 metre level.
This level optimises the hydraulic force of flows from the Lake to the sea which is vital to establish an effective opening.
Smiths Lake is opened near the southern dune on Sandbar Beach, aligning the opening with existing channels within the lake.
The timing for opening depends on tides, swell conditions, predicted rainfall and lake levels, as these all influence the effectiveness of an opening.
The length of time the lake remains open is also influenced by the swell conditions following an opening.
Opening Smiths lake involves members of the Wallis and Smiths Lake Coast and Estuary Committee, NSW government agencies and professional fishers.
The Coastal Zone Management Plan for the Smiths Lake Estuary identifies the trigger for opening and outlines the ongoing actions required to manage Smiths Lake in a way that supports the values of this outstanding natural asset.
For more information go to midcoast.nsw.gov.au/lakemanagement