IT INNOVATION MINIMISING PAINKALAC ESTUARY FLOOD RISK

Local estuary managers are using innovative technology to minimise flood risk to coastal property and alleviate problems associated with unauthorised estuary openings.

Corangamite CMA and survey company MDL’s staff, with help from Surf Coast Shire staff and EstuaryWatch volunteers, are using a scanner mounted on quad bike, to generate high resolution scans of Painkalac estuary.

Estuary managers regularly survey to determine estuary mouth sand heights to help determine whether or not an estuary will open naturally before there is any risk of flooding to houses and roads upstream.

Allowing estuaries to open and close naturally is important to native plants and animals in the lower reaches of our waterways. Using this digital terrain and flood modelling of estuaries allows planners to pinpoint at risk inundation areas.

Corangamite CMA EstuaryWatch Co-ordinator Matt Khoury said using this innovative technology, believed to be a first in Victoria, improved estuary management. It was important people were aware of estuaries’ ecological role had in Great Ocean Road’s coastal towns.

He said he was keen to encourage more people to care for these valuable natural assets and up-to-date estuary conditions were on EstauryWatch’s website. Painkalac Creek EstuaryWatch team had monitored the creek’s estuary monthly since March 2007 and posted data and images on the site.

Local community members responsible for monitoring estuary health are concerned unauthorised openings of the creek jeopardised a vital ecological role. EstuaryWatch’s Painkalac Creek team leader Barbara Leavesley said unauthorised opening of the estuary could jeopardise the health of the important habitat.

“Painkalac Creek’s health is important to many residents and inappropriate estuary mouth opening has the potential to disturb habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife. Opening at the wrong time can impact on fish recruitment caused by depleted oxygen or even flushing eggs and juveniles out to sea,” she said.

In reiterating this concern, Corangamite CMA Chief Executive Officer Gareth Smith said opening an estuary without a valid permit was an offence under the Victorian Water Act 1989.

“As regional caretaker for river health, our organisation issues permits to estuary managers, Surf Coast Shire and Parks Victoria, allowing estuary openings under certain conditions. But even in these instances, the ecology of the system is still the key factor in the decision making process” he said.

The Corangamite CMA had a number of important roles in managing estuaries between Queenscliff and Peterborough, with the Surf Coast Shire, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Western Coastal Board, Great Ocean Road Coast Committee and Parks Victoria.

For more information contact the Corangamite CMA, or visit the Estuary Watch database at http://www.estuarywatch.com.au