15-03-2009

Estuary event details

Estuary	Barham River Estuary
Region	Corangamite CMA
Event type	Weather Event
Date and time	15 March 2009 18:00pm
Description	At a time of low river flow a moderate swell driven by strong N/W to West winds and combining with a high tide caused a large inflow of seawater into the Barham estuary. At 11:00 the estuary water level was 1.08 metresAHD with the river mouth closed and 1 metre swell. The water level at 17:40 was 1.34 mAHD with waves from a 2 metre swell vigourously crossing the berm and into the estuary. At 18:46 the water level was 1.62 mAHD. At 20:20 waves from 2.5metre swell was still entering the estuary but water was intermittently starting to flow out. The estuary water level peaked at 1.72 mAHD and the river moth opened naturally.

A 2 metre swell has come and the estuary is rapidly rising.

Estuary water level before waves began crossing into the estuary

The estuary adjacent to the river mouth is awash with seawater flooding in.

BmP2 at 18.45 hours: The waves are surging over the berm opposite the GOR bridge and continueing up into BmP2 photo site. This was the first Moderate swell since the 2nd Febuary.

The waves are surging over the berm opposite the GOR bridge and continueing up into BmP2 photo site. This was the first Moderate swell since the 2nd Febuary.