24-11-2013

Estuary event details

Estuary	Painkalac Creek Estuary
Region	Corangamite CMA
Event type	Estuary Entrance Opening
Date and time	24 November 2013 07:00am
Description	Artificial Estuary Opening 24/11/2013 I viewed the sandbar on Saturday 5pm and saw the lake perched with barely 10cm height of bar above lake level. The lake itself was the highest I have seen it. Viewing the lake again on Sunday afternoon the sand bar had been washed through with the channel approximately 2 meters below the top of the remaining bar and the creek flowing strongly. The outflow must have been very substantial at the event given the width of the erosion (into the sand dune) and the depth of the channel. It is interesting to see how a secondary sand bar has formed approximately 30 meters seaward of the original bar with the creek looping at the outflow. Upcoming analysis of the creek will be interesting given the extent of the flushing of the creek by this dramatic event.