The attached article was in the boating section of The Weekend West on September 3.
They've cut another entrance to the Blackwood River at Augusta to flush out the algae, farmer's nutrients and muck.
But I bet this will ensure the lagoon - along which we all hammer on glassy water in summer - will now silt up.
Does anyone know what happened last time they did this?
Time to remind the locals that lagoon could be a season-long attraction for kiters, who add to the local economy, and should be kept from turning into a swamp.
Perhaps keep both entrances open?

I think they tried this last year and the channel they dug through closed up within weeks.

Cut and Pasted from a Seabreeze forum entry - enjoy


Augusta/Margaret River shire destroying a icon for Kiter's
by Paul Smyth on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 6:21pm
Augusta/Margaret River shire are at it again, this was my letter to the shire,

Mike,
Can not believe what I read in the local paper, You and Your mates are trying very hard to destroy one of the most unique spots in the world! Kite world magazine(UK) published a story written by 2 of the best kite boarders in business Sam Light and Tom Court on Augusta and how it is the best place in the world!! for kiting. I read the article and laughed that hard I wet myself, You say its good for the river, well the best thing for the river is to stop the farmers from raping the land and water ways with super phosphate and leave the dam river to go were it dam well wants to! Kite boarders are frightening the fish off, Bull****! What about the traffic from boats! And to do this with no consulting is just pure communism! I have organized once again to come down with a group to promote Augusta with the world champion and if You insist on destroying this then I will be spending my money else were! I will also publish this story on Facebook and to the kiting world and suggest that they look else were to kite! Augusta would be the mecca for every kiter in the world if You just leave dam things alone, I thought You may have had a little more common sense, clearly not!
Paul Smyth.

i was there today for an hour and sat and watched the cut and the amount of water moving through it
seems to be working at the moment it may close it may not it ,seems the fall is a lot better! as for the flat water side of things RELAX it wont change it never has. been kiting there for 11 years and has always been the same, fishing there for 18 years always been the same. There trying something different to get rid of the algae The river is chocking it needs a flushing, THE RIVER IS NOT JUST FOR KITERS. everyone is an expert on it .. so far to me today on mid tide the waves where trying to flush in it would only be 50m wide max . IT may work it may not but at least we will know with rain falls this year its flowing somewhat back to normal, and there has at least been attempt to clear it up,as for kiting on it wake up to your selves because if it is not!! (cleaned up) ,the state of the algae (blue/green algae which traces started 2 years ago) would be totally fit for humans to swim in let alone kite!
silva

Cheers Jacko for clarifying the spot. I agree its only going to make the water healthier and could only be short term. It wont be flushed every year. As for Paul Smyth he sounds like a knob. Fair enough we all get a bit upset but that kind attitude gives kiters a bad name. Does he even kite??? NO