35 results found (Displaying 1 - 35)
Date Details
16-08-2022 Weather Event

After heavy rains (60mm+) over the weekend in a saturated catchments cause peak flows of 8500ML/day at D/S Powlett/Foster Confluence. This reached the estuary yesterday and caused estuary water levels to peak at 2.44mAHD and the estuary to be flushed out with freshwater. Mouth of Powlett Rd was flooded. 1st photo taken from social media and was taken on August 17 after water levels began to subside.

Callum Edwards
09-06-2022 Estuary Entrance Opening

With water levels reaching a maximum of 2.66mAHD and peak flows recorded at 1715ML/day later in the night at Powlett/Foster confluence (Wattlebank) the decision was made to artificially open the Powlett River Estuary. With a berm height of 2.9mAHD a natural opening had too many risks involved hence the need for an artificial opening. The opening was successful in lowering water levels and lowered water levels by over 1.5m.

Callum Edwards
21-02-2022 Estuary Entrance Closure

The Powlett Estuary mouth closed its connection to the ocean after sustained low rainfall and moderate tides and swell. This is the first closure at the Powlett since 2019.

Callum Edwards
01-05-2020 Tides

Large swells, high tides and river flows combined to dramatically increase water level heights in the estuary, leading to additional water ending up across the floodplain.

Matt Khoury
04-06-2019 Estuary Entrance Opening

The mouth of the Powlett River Estuary was opened @ 2.42m AHD following good late autumn / early winter rainfall, which generated some consistent river flows. With a sand berm height of 2.87m AHD the estuary mouth was a long way off naturally opening, so an artificial opening was required to alleviate the inundation of surrounding farmland.

 

 

Matt Khoury
28-02-2019 Estuary Entrance Closure

The estuary mouth closed following a very long period of low river flows. 

Matt Khoury
22-07-2018 Estuary Entrance Opening

A water level increase following recent rainfall / freshwater flow promoted a natural estuary opening, following a very short closure (2 days).

Matt Khoury
20-07-2018 Estuary Entrance Closure

The Powlett closed its connection to the ocean following large swells and tides in the days previous.

Matt Khoury
11-07-2018 Estuary Entrance Opening

On the 9th of July the sand berm was at approximately 2.21m AHD and the water levels were at 2.11m AHD (i.e. 10cm below height of sand berm). At 2.11m AHD the estuary was mostly made up of seawater from the weekends swells and tides. On the 10th of July, Freshwater Inflows further increased the water level height by to 2.21m AHD, which was enough to promote a natural opening early this morning (2am ish). Flows peaked at 455 ml / day on Sunday night / Monday morning and are currently at 125 ml / day. Surface waters were still quite salty during opening (i.e. 10,000 us/cm EC) resulting from the huge inputs of saltwater into the estuary over the weekend.

Matt Khoury
09-07-2018 Estuary Entrance Closure

The estuary mouth closed its connection to the ocean on Sunday night (8 July 2018) / Monday morning (9 July 2018) as a result of large ocean swells and tides over the weekend (7 and 8 July 2018). 

Matt Khoury
20-06-2018 Estuary Entrance Opening

Following the artificial estuary mouth opening on the 19th of June 2018 (i.e. yesterday), many waterbirds were present collecting fish stranded in isolated pools on the surrounding floodplain and those being flushed back into the main river channel from historic and current floodplain drains. 

Matt Khoury
19-06-2018 Estuary Entrance Opening

An artificial opening was conducted @ 2.41m AHD with a flow of 379 mega litres per day (i.e. two days prior at wattlebank). Ocean swells were small and water quality conditions were suitable.

Matt Khoury
19-06-2018 Water level

Over the previous few years the Bass Coast Shire Council has incrementally increased the height of the Mouth of the Powlett Road. During this years closure approximately 1/3 of the road was inundated at 2.375m AHD (see image attached). Even at 2.41m AHD later in the day prior to the artificial estuary opening the road was still useable, with water covering a fraction more than 1/3 of the road. 

Matt Khoury
15-04-2018 Estuary Entrance Closure

The estuary mouth closed during a large swell event during the weekend of the 15th and 16th of April 2018.

 

Matt Khoury
25-03-2018 Weather Event

Storm surge event with a 1.55m high tide @ 7:00pm and a large 10ft plus ocean swell creating a water level of 1.92m AHD (to inundate low lying areas (i.e. salt-marsh))

Matt Khoury
30-10-2017 Weather Event

Large storm surge event increased water levels up to 2.32m AHD (Max) on the 30 of October 2017, with heights of 2.2m AHD being reach on the days previous. 

Matt Khoury
07-07-2017 Estuary Entrance Opening

Artificial estuary mouth opening.

Matt Khoury
29-05-2017 Estuary Entrance Closure

The mouth of the Powlett is still closed with water levels now @ 2.20metres AHD. At this point the mouth of the powlett carpark access road (i.e. alongside the caravan park) is now closed. This road is partially inundated. See image attached.

Matt Khoury
29-03-2017 Estuary Entrance Closure

The Powlett Estuary Mouth closed on this date. The closure was likely to have occurred in the early hours of the morning.

mkhoury
14-06-2016 Estuary Entrance Opening

Estuary mouth artificially opened at 2.63m AHD, with peak flow of 663.74 mega litres per day on the 12th of June at Foster Creek Junction gauge.

mkhoury
02-06-2016 Estuary Entrance Closure

The Powlett is still closed, with the water level sitting at 2.34m AHD. At this height the gravel section of the Mouth of Powlett Road is only mildly inundated (see image attached). This is different to previous years, where at this height this section of road would have been completely inundated. This is thanks to the Bass Coast Shire Council who lifted this section of road following the 2015 estuary closure event.

EW Coordinator
14-05-2016 Estuary Entrance Closure
The estuary opening conducted on the 13th of May was unsuccessful. The opening began early in the day and works continued into the night. With a lack of water level height @ 2.01m AHD, and river flows (100mg/l per day), the large seas (2 to 3 metres) and large high tides (1.6 to 1.7m) there just wasn't enough water in the estuary to prevent the ocean from reclosing the mouth. EW Coordinator
13-05-2016 Estuary Entrance Opening
Powlett Estuary Artificially opened at 2.01m AHD, with a flow of 90 to 100mg/l per day, a 2 to 3 metre ocean swell and a 1.6 to 1.7m high tide. EW Coordinator
13-03-2016 Estuary Entrance Closure
The mouth of the Powlett closed its connection to the ocean over the labour day long weekend (12th to 14th) of March. EW Coordinator
03-07-2015 Estuary Entrance Opening
The Powlett River Estuary was artifically opened to relieve the threat to socio-economic assets. Water level got to 2.6m AHD. River flows were at roughly 100mg/l per day. EW Coordinator
06-03-2015 Estuary Entrance Closure
The Powlett River Estuary closed its connection to the ocean on or just before the 6th of March 2015. EW Coordinator
30-06-2014 Weather Event
Water from recent high tides, storm surge events (saltwater), and high river flows (freshwater) sitting in the surrounding wetlands, and low drainage points. AHD 1.375 EW Coordinator
25-06-2014 Weather Event
A storm surge event produced an AHD water level hieght of 1.76metres, which was enough to flood the surrounding saltmarsh environment, and a small portion of the Mouth of Powlett Road Bridge Carpark. EW Coordinator
14-06-2013 Estuary Entrance Opening
With approximately 48 hrs of rainfall and between 40 - 75mm falling across the Powlett Catchment. The already saturated catchment produced a flow of approximately 3000 megalitres per day, which was enough to naturally open the estuary mouth. EW Coordinator
01-05-2013 Weather Event
The estuary mouth closed its connection with the ocean between the 20th and 29th of April.
Water level was at 1.80m AHD on the 29th of April, with large ocean swells pushing sea water over the sand berm. The Estuary mouth is still closed, and the adjacent floodplain area is still covered with water, but the water levels have dropped to 1.78m after the ocean swells died down. EW Coordinator
29-04-2013 Weather Event
The estuary mouth closed its connection with the ocean between the 20th and 29th of April.
Water level is at 1.80m AHD with large ocean swells pushing sea water over the sand berm. Water is now starting to move out onto the adjacent floodplain area, that contains important saltmarsh and wetland environments that provide important habitat for birds, fish and other creatures during these events. EW Coordinator
24-04-2013 Estuary Entrance Closure
The mouth of the Powlett Estuary Closed its connection to the ocean close to this date in April 2013. EW Coordinator
23-06-2012 Weather Event
The Powlett river was extemely high over the weekend of 23rd and 24th of June and also earlier in the month. High rainfall on the 21st and 22nd of June was responsible for closing many of the local roads and highways. Much debris has been deposited by the ocean waves inside the estuary on the eastern bank. Rose Herben
24-06-2011 Weather Event
Check out this flooding of my site (PO6) Neil Rankine
01-11-2010 Community Event
In November 2010 the riparian zone located downstream of the Daly Bridge Site (P5) was fenced off for rehabilitation. EW Coordinator
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