Client: Earth Tech (for Melbourne Water Corporation)
Location: Bass River, Western Port Bay, Victoria

Key Services Provided:

• Interpretation of catchment and valley setting
• River Styles classification
• Investigation of fluvial processes
• Determination of trajectory of change
• Sediment transport and management priorities
• Waterway management recommendations
• Risk assessment

Overview

Melbourne Water’s operational area expanded in November 2005 to include the majority of streams that flow into Port Phillip and Westernport Bays. This expansion included the catchment of the Bass River, one of three major streams in the catchment of Westernport Bay. Diffuse sediment sources from these catchments are considered a serious threat to the health of the marine environment in Westernport Bay however for the Bass River network there was little knowledge of the nature and trajectory of geomorphic change on streams.

The understanding of the origin and evolution of the stream network of the Bass Catchment from this project provided important insights to managing the morphology and trajectory of the stream system. In turn, this knowledge provides key information on how to manage the sediment sources and sediment transport that threaten the ecological assets of Westernport Bay. An important finding of the study was that, unlike the other major streams debouching into Westernport Bay, the Bunyip and Lang Lang Rivers, the major episode of incision and rejuvenation of the Bass River is pre-historic.

Contact:

Julian Martin (julian.martin@watech.com.au)
Senior Environmental Engineer
Phone (03) 5721 2650
PO Box 792, Wangaratta VIC 3676