Stream bank erosion is a major source of sediment in many watercourses. This has multiple implications including degrading water quality, reducing ecosystem habitat and the loss of agricultural land on productive alluvial floodplains. One of the focuses for improving water quality and ecosystem health in the Mackay Whitsunday region is to stabilise stream banks.
In the Whitsundays a pile field was constructed within the O’Connell River basin catchment. It is the first pile field project in the Whitsundays, and the largest system repair project Reef Catchments has led. The site was the highest priority identified in the O’Connell River Stability Assessment. Approximately 275 piles were driven into the stream bank for realignment purposes and to provide an environment suitable for sediment deposition and vegetation establishment. The works have already provided considerable water quality improvements after a single wet season.
Monitoring Organisation Reef Catchments
Name Katrina Dent
Phone 4968 4207
Email katrina.dent@reefcatchments.com
Position in organisation General Manager
Activity Type erosion and sediment control projects (e.g. stream bank stabilisation, sediment retention basins)
Activity Indicators water quality in freshwater river basins
Activity location O'Connell catchment
Frequency of monitoring
Monitoring Start Date 01/07/2015
30/06/2016Location of monitoring data
Date quality / confidence
Website URL http://reefcatchments.com.au/land/case-study-stabilising-stream-banks-along-the-oconnell-river/
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