General News
28 June, 2022
River mouth opened at Peterborough
BANKED up water along the Curdies River Estuary finally found its way to the ocean following an artificial river mouth opening.
BANKED up water along the Curdies River Estuary finally found its way to the ocean following an artificial river mouth opening.
Contractors completed the artificial river mouth opening last week to the relief of locals, with high water levels being reported.
A Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) spokesperson said over the past three weeks water levels in the Curdies River estuary have increased due to rainfall and runoff within the catchment.
“Parks Victoria monitors water levels in the estuary, and requested the Corangamite CMA’s permission for Parks Victoria to undertake an artificial estuary opening on Monday, June 20 to mitigate flood risk to low lying properties.
“The opening was not related to blue-green algae, and any potential improvement of the algae after the opening is due to rain and flow in the catchment.”
The Corangamite CMA spokesperson said no adverse impacts due to the artificial opening have been reported.
“The Corangamite CMA undertakes a risk assessment using data such as water quality data, scientific reports and weather data before providing authorisation to Parks Victoria to undertake an artificial estuary opening, as well as considering the risk to human assets that can only be alleviated by an artificial opening,” the spokesperson said.
