15-08-2013

Estuary event details

Estuary	Barwon River Estuary
Region	Corangamite CMA
Event type	Unusual/Extraordinary occurrence!
Date and time	15 August 2013 13:41pm
Description	The usual navigation channel under the bridges and identified with lateral marks implying safe water, a significant sand bar developed which didn¿t give the usual minimum clearance of water of about 1m depth. There hadn¿t been the water movement to scour the bar over the past two months, a permit was sought from DEPI for a trial sand excavation (dredging) which we gained. The long reach excavator was used, 18m arm reach. The excavation of sand and seaweed was approved to the pre-existing river bed, the harder surface was recognized by the excavator operator. Excavated material was moved up the beach by a 4ed backhoe and placed above the usual high tide line. The river conditions in the end of last week with some storm flow through the system scoured some sand from the channel though took sand off the east (OG)edge. That change of condition impacted the operation of the excavator as it could not place itself as near the navigation channel as desired especially at the pedestrian bridge. The excavator works could not reach in under the pedestrian bridge, a limit on the overall benefit.