EstuaryWatch Data Portal

EC unstable at all levels. Rapid surging if water noted at gauge.

Surface wind making waves

All EC readings failed to stabilize

Raining heavily at this site. L1+Mouth observations abandoned.

No additional weight needed on cables.

Hach not stabilizing for EC across the whole depth profile.

Faster flow than usual.

Hach 3 meter used.

Sediment floating in bottom sample

EC erratic

AHD 0.22 (marker very dirty)

Surface waves due to strong SE wind

AHD board dirty and impossible to read

Training session in new YSI meter

AHD G2 1.48 @ 10.10

High levels of Phos. - top sample 0.9     Bottom  sample 0.14                                             

AHD 1.36 @10.01

AHD 0.57 @10:10

Reactive phosphorus - bottom reading  0.06

Turbidity (NTU's) - bottom sample contained large amount of dispersed sedimentary particles

2nd data sheet has been included for comparison with Lt1 & further upstream Latrobe creek from GOR bridge because of raised reactive phosphorus reading @ Lt1 on boardwalk bridge

AHD 0.55       AHD @ G6 unreadable

SE wind pushing waves upstream to G2 & Lt1

 AHD G2  0.48

NE wind 4    Air temp 32C

AHD G2 0.46   G6 1.55 @ 08.30

Reactive Phosphorus test  0.06 @ both top & bottom levels

AHD G2  0.48 @ 10:15       0.58 @ 12:35

Turbidity at top <9 but while seeming clear/ pale at bottom depth was 17 NTU's

G2 results strongly influenced by wind & wave action at mouth. Wave height about 5m. entering against a near gale force wind down channel & moving through a large sand build up in lagoon

AHD   G2 about 0.28  board unreadable

pH top  0.60

AHD G6  2.73 @ 08:00

       G2  0.48 @ 11:01

No weights used @ G2 as flow downstream was greatly reduced from that of G5 & G4

AHD G2  0.71         AHD G6 =  Above boards - extensive wide deep flooding from G6 - G4  resulting from heavy rain fall  -115 ml. recorded at G6 for July

Extreme flow - 4 weights on rope were used but some drift downstream still occurred. Large amount of turbidity & much debris in flow

AHD 0.44 @ 11:30  Low tide & reducing flow from upstream with small waves entering at mouth  = no weights were used as probe was not drifting

Phos - 0.045 mg/l

AHD 0.68  @ 11:10

Reactive phosphorus test (top sample)  0.045

Low D.O. below 1.50m down

AHD  G2 0.66

AHD G2 1.19   G6 1.25 @11:45

AHD G2 0.50                                                                                                   AHD G6   about 0.68 - estimate only as board is covered with silt

Mouth has very wide entrance with sheer 1.2m.high sides along east side of channel after artificial opening on 28-03-19. Small waves were entering.                At G2 bridge the flow as indicated by probe drift was going upstream

AHD G2  0.53 @ 14:00        G6 0.88 (estimate only as board is covered with silt)

Many small fish visible in shallow water & larger ones 5-15 cm. actively swimming around bridge

All readings down to 4.00 m were extremely erratic.                                         Flow was extremely strong & probe had to be attached to weighted rope.               

Rope & weights came up covered in black rotting vegetation & black slimy silt

AHD 1.33 @ 13:20    G6   1.52  @ 13:00                                                   GOR   AHD  from G2   1.22@ 15:50

GOR sheet (Latrobe creek - attached for comparison)                              Monitoring was done from downstream side of bridge as the very strong flow took the probe & weighted rope far under the bridge out of sight. Rope, weights & probe covered with black decaying vegetation

AHD G6    1.68 @11:00     G2  1.68 @ 11:45

GOR sheet attached for comparison

AHD 1.66 @11:20

Flow reddish with small reddish brown pieces of algae floating on surface of water  (coming from Latrobe creek)  Latrobe creek data was sampled from GOR

Attached data sheet from G.O.R (Latrobe creek)

IEC Site. Mouth Closed.

AHD  G2 1.52    G6  1.48   @ 10:30

Water over deck of fishing platform. Small areas of water at side of OOR & OCR with some areas at SW end of camp ground

Measurements were taken from GOR over Latrobe creek (attached as data sheet) showing lower levels of D.O. in wetlands

AHD G2 1.46    G6  1.41 

AHD G2 1.44  G6   1.42@ 13:35

Mouth barred -berm created by very rough seas. Some waves currently overtopping berm & reaching estuary with some salt return but no fresh outflow

AHD G2 1.40 @ 12:45  1.39  @ 14:10

AHD G6 1.44 @ 10:51   1.39 @  14:25

SW wind 4 creating ripples across a slow flow.from upstream, but low wave surge observed coming upstream from mouth

AHD G2 1.56       AHD G6   1.52

Water only at side of road @ OOR flood markers & between GOR & camp ground Camp ground has some areas of visible water at SW end. Track to ocean car park has some deep areas of water in depressions

AHD G2 1.52 @ 11:40   G6  1.48 @ 09:55

10 ml rain over night

AHD G2  1.51@13:01      G6 1.46 @ 10:00

Bottom turbidity contained many clearly visible small particles

AHD G2 1.49 @ 12:20   G6 1.45 @ 10:10

AHD G2  1.45 @ 09:30    G6   1.40 @ 07:30     Air temp 33C.

Water cover over most flats up to G5  - No water over any roads

AHD G6  1.36 @10:25    G2 1.39/40  @ 12:55

IEC Site. Mouth Closed.

AHD G6 1.02 @ 09:45        G2  1.02  @ 10:51

Large no. of small fish visible in water around G2 bridge

IEC Site. Mouth Open.

AHD G6  0.86 @ 10:15

Small ripples from SE travelling to G2 fishing platform. Algae forming on streamside veg near auto monitor

IEC site Mouth Open

AHD G2 0.56 @ 09:50     G6  0.98 @ 09:40

SE Wind bringing waves to G2 making flow estimate very difficult

After a short duration closure the mouth opened naturally on 06-12-18,             40C. heat on 07-12-18.

Low water level in estuary with sand bar partially exposed & drying algae draped over veg. at E side of estuary. Waves entering shallow over wide area / dense sea mist & air temp about 18C.

IEC Site. Mouth Open.

AHD 0.58

Large amount of silt settling rapidly  in turbidity / pH  sample

AHD G2 0.34  @ 13:00     G6 1.01 @ 11:17 AHD boards partially obscured with silt

AHD G6 1.64 @ 10:54  G2  1.54 @ 10;03

Mouth was actually open during monitoring. Fishermen reported estuary water trickling out at night on 10-11-18 & open am. on 11-11-18.                                  Mouth was perched on 04-11-18, closed on 05-11-18  & opened again on 11-11-18

No weights were used as flow was not as strong as upstream

AHD   G2  0.49 @ 10:23    G6 1.95 @  08:15

Bearer under bridge fractured 31-08-2018 (bridge closed) repair completed to 15 T load limit on 20-09-18

AHD G6 over AHD board  @  07:48      G2 0.65  @ 09:35

Turbidity G6  34 NTUs pH 6.8

Very cold North wind 5

Monitoring difficult because of  very fast flow. Probe attached to rope with 4 weights. The use of weights raised the height of the probe above 10 cm  from the bottom both at G2 & Lt1

The turbidity water sampler was possibly dragged about 5m.downstream in the  very fast flow so bottom readings may not be accurate

AHD 0.95 @ 09:23  ( G2 was 1.36 @ 15:00 on 20-07-18)                                   G6  3.03 @ 08:47

Strong tidal influence over night

Bottom turbidity sample contained many small particles

Flats have drained downstream of G4 but not upstream where deep water cover exists across the flood plain

AHD G6  2.86 @  09:22

AHD G2   rising from 0.88 to 0.96 within a period of 48 secs  @ 11:45

Wind driven waves travelling downstream to G2

Turbidity/ pH not taken

Water has drained from flats downstream of G4 but Rivernook flats & upstream have extensive deep water cover. Water flowing strongly through dip in causeway  at G4

AHD G2 0.55   @   09:55   AHD  G6 Water over the top of the AHD board

Very deep water across flats with extremely fast flow from upstream G6 to G4  -  no water cover over flats except small area immediately downstream G4 bridge, this area was draining back into the river channel- there was no water across OOR at flood markers or any other roads or tracks. G5 & G4 not sampled because of flooding.

AHD G2   0.91  @ 11:35           0.98  @ 12:35

Freshwater inflow difficult to estimate as waves were going upstream to 1.00m, then with slight downstream movement before returning upstream

Flats upstream to & around G4 have drained but visible water remains around G5 in lower areas. Large areas od water cover occur upstream of Rowans Gully

AHD G2 rising & falling between 0.58   to   0.62  @  09:55

Flow indicated by probe movement was going both upstream & downstream. (result of  waves entering at mouth

AHD G2 0.83 @ 15:15

Natural opening occurred late pm. or over night on 13-05-18

Water column very dynamic.Weighted rope used because of fast flow

River bed at G2 site soft with deep very fine black silt. 

AHD 0.42

Flats down stream G4 have drained leaving white powdery deposit on previously submerged veg. Upstream around around G5 water remains in low areas

Fish being caught from fishing platform @ G2

AHD 0.12

AHD 0.51

Water very dark & dirty

AHD G6  1.66 @ 11:05     G2   1.66 @ 11:30

G6 AHD 1.48 @ 08:05  G2  1.53  @10:40

CCMA YEOKEL meter used. Turbidity -wide range & erratic

Wind driven waves going downstream. Water very reddish brown colour 

AHD 1.50

N wind sending large ripples downstream

AHD G2 1.47     G6 1.42  @  10:39

AHD G6 1.16 @ 10.55    AHD G2 1.19 @ 11:55

Wind driven ripples affecting flow observation

Very large number of small fish  6-12 cm. long around bridge & fishing platform

CCMA's YEOKEL meter used for monitoring

AHD G6 0.65 @ 08:00    0.71 @   14:46

AHD G2 0.71 @ 10:25     0.75 @   13:35

NTU's 70 @ 0.50 depth at halocline, rising at top of salt wedge then increasing with depth

Only intermittent waves overtopping berm over a high sand build up at recently opened entrance (20-03-18) . No exchange or out flow from estuary

Flats from G4 & Latrobe creek draining into river channel

AHD  G2 0.74  @16:05      -     G6 AHD  0.70  @ 17:10

AHD G2  0.57  @ 12:25    -   0.55  @ 13:15   -  G6 0.66  @ 12:01

Large number of small fish around poles of fishing platform G2 also along edge of low track- very active

AHD G2   0.37 @ 10:55  - dropped to 0.35 @ 14:55 G6  0.40 @ 15:17

Slight current going downstream, but wind driven waves from south going upstream to G2

Oily slick on surface of water in sheltered areas on west bank

Post Artificial Opening completed 15:20  on 10-03-2018

AHD    G2  1.26 @  07:30 -  1.26  @ 10:40- G6 1.33 @ 07:15

Strong S/E wind driving waves upstream to G2 . Strong out flow discharging out through a wide entrance.

Strong current movement in water column made monitoring difficult. Water colour very dark (turbidity not measured)

Pre Artificial Opening

AHD G2 1.50  @10:00    G6  1.45 @  09:05

AHD G2 1.47 @11:55   G6 1.42   @ 08:05

Deck of fishing platform completely under water

Large schools of small fish around bridge & auto monitor  intake, also in pools & water on side of OOR at flood markers

AHD 1.42 @ 08:15

27-02-2018  (late pm.) Water only over low track & low area on top track- none over OCR& camp ground. Some water at side of road on OOR at flood markers where a huge no. very small fish were observed in pool. Flats flooded D/S G4 & water in drains U/S. Water just starting to enter flats (water logging) immediately around this area.

Drilling for core samples started in preparation for new bridge over Gellibrand (G2 site) on 26th. /27th.& 28 th Feb.also at start of OCR from GOR & also W of campground boundary

AHD G6 1.30 @ 11:10  G2 1.33  @  11:30

Very humid conditions Air temp 24C.

Water up to base of fishing platform deck

• This monitoring was conducted as part of the Index of Estuary Condition.
• The CCMA YeoKal was used.  It can measure turbidity below 9 NTU.

Fine black particles throughout bottom turbidity sample -top sample very clear

AHD G2  1.11 @ 11:56     G6   1.08  @ 11
:27

Flow estimate  difficult because of wind driven waves.

Mouth still barred -more sand sea side of berm & sand very high at east end of beach. Estuary front wider but low track not yet completely covered all way. No water over any roads or other tracks.

New sample equip for pH & turbidity used. Chart used for NTU's. Water sample from 10 cm  above bottom contained small specks of black sediment & very small pieces of algae

AHD 0.68  @ 09:40

Recent high temperatures (18 &19 th Jan = 38C.) replaced by cool moist foggy conditions

Very large no of waterbirds on N wetlands. Dragonflies around G2 & estuary

AHD G2  0.62 @  09:40                                                                                      G6   0.68  @13:15

Salt wedge at 2.50m from top @  G4    D.O. levels low below 2.50m    

no salt at G5 

Monitoring very difficult because of large no. people diving off bridge, swimming & boating around probe area

AHD G2  0.53

AHD G2 0.33@ 09:52

Freshwater inflow between slow & pool but going both US & DS