Client: NSW Office of Water
Location: River Murray between Hume Dam & Lake Mulwala
Key Services Provided:
- Hydrology and hydraulic investigations
- Fluvial geomorphic and process investigation
- Waterway rehabilitation and design
Overview
The NSW Office of Water is responsible for the management of the River Murray including Parlour reach that lies between Hume Dam to Lake Mulwala and contains a complex anabranch network on both sides of the floodplain. Several anabranches within this network, including Parlour Creek and Common Creek form significantly straighter, steeper and hence shorter sections of stream in comparison to the adjacent section of the Murray River. As such, there is a risk that these channel networks will further develop and capture an increasing proportion of flow from the Murray River. Water Technology undertook a hydraulic investigation of the anabranch network to model the re-introduction of large woody debris in an attempt to manage anabranch development.
In order to understand the flow splits between the Murray and Parlour Creek, and hence the driving hydraulic conditions for Common Creek, a fully linked 1D/ 2D hydraulic model was developed in MIKE FLOOD. The aim of the model was to assess in detail how in-channel modifications may affect the hydraulic conditions in Common Creek, which in turn may affect the hydraulic and geomorphic conditions within both the Murray River and Parlour Creek.
Using the model results is was possible to assess changes in flow velocity and channel bed shear stress along with changes to flow splits and water surface elevation in the various watercourses for a range of large woody debris configurations. This allows for interpretation of the geomorphic implications of the changes and in turn feeds back to optimising the design of such installations to ensure the maximum benefit to all stakeholders
Contact:
Christine Arrowsmith (Christine.arrowsmith@watech.com.au)
Senior Engineer
Phone 03 9558 9366 or 0400 241 788
15 Business Park Drive, Notting Hill VIC 3133