EstuaryWatch Data Portal

Emergency opening due to recent rainfall

Residents concerned that Frog chorusing, particularly for Pobblebonks, is delayed this Spring.

Residents asked for pH monitoring of area west of dirt part of River Reserve Rd on the way into Coogoorah.  A new Culvert was installed there in 2019.  

Some concern that chorusing delays were related to low estuary pH and increased connection to the river via the culvert.

When river levels fall during an opening the swampy land on the west of RR road drains much more than it used to.

10 readings were carried out.  The readings ranged from 3.5 to 5.0.  The pH did appear to be lower nearer the culvert on the West side of the road.

There was no visible flow through the culvert at time of testing although a flow was visible earlier that day around 10:00am.

Waves overtopped the Berm either side of High Tide at 17:37 hrs.  The estuary height was 1.58m at the time.  A small intermittent inflow of seawater occurred.  The next day I measured the Berm Height at 1.97m AHD

Waves overtopped berm and caused an intermittent inflow of sea water around High Tide.

Estuary level was 1.54m AHD

Note strong physical and anecdotal evidence that the same thing happened on 11/4/20.

At 03:30hrs on 28/1/20 during a high spring tide waves overtopped the Berm at the river mouth and introduced a significant amount of seawater into the river.  Although the flow was intermittent at the beach, further down the river a strong continuous inflow was observed.  I have film of this.  Note that the river level was 1.34m AHD and the berm was measured at 10am on 28/1/20 at .85m above the river level.  This means that waves strongly overtopped a berm height of 1.34 + .85 = 2.19m AHD.

Unfortunately I could not download the MP4 file of this event

At high tide today (1.76m @16:27 pm) waves were overtopping berm introducing seawater to estuary.  This is the last of a series of high tides which have probably done the same thing.  The river level is exactly 1.5m AHD.  Photo taken at 16:39hrs.

Pumping start: Approx. 1/05/18, ~10:00

Pumping rate 24 L/s

Pumping stop: 2/5/2018

1/05/2018 Begin transfers to Anglesea River. Estuary level: 1.355m

2/05/2018 Ceased pumping.  Estuary level 1.357m

Pumping start: Approx. 28/03/18

pH Basin:  Estuary:

Pumping rate 24 L/s

Pumping stop: 29/3/2018

Transfer commenced: 9/4/2018 10am (1.357m)

Basin level at commencement of transfer: 36Ml.

Ceased transfer: 12/4/2018(1.375m)

Transfer commenced: 4/4/2018 (1.362m)

Ceased transfer: 6/4/2018(1.373m)