EstuaryWatch Data Portal

At 13.00 the Barham river mouth is closed with minimal berm clearance. The seas are rough with gale force West winds. The estuary height is approximately 1.25 m.

The following day, the 04/12/2018 the river mouth is open and the estuary height is 1.12m.

Even against moderate river flow the strong Westerly weather has made this the 3rd short term river mouth closure for the new season.

The chances of a closure may have been increased by dune replenishment works. Sand from the harbour [NE of the river mouth] has been trucked to the SW of the river mouth to rebuild the dune supporting the Great Ocean Road. That area of the dune is vulnerable to SE storms especially.  Of note the sand from the harbour has tested as being 50% fine sand while the original dune in that area was 30% fine sand. There may be an increase in the amount of sand travelling past the river mouth, West to East.