Powlett provides important drought refuge

Dry conditions and low river flows have allowed a sandbar to build up at the mouth of the Powlett River closing it to the ocean. Over the coming weeks, if the river mouth remains closed, water will begin to cover the surrounding wetlands. This is an essential natural process required to maintain the condition of these environments and the flora and fauna they support.

During drier years, wetland food and shelter can be limited across the landscape, which drastically increases the importance of natural estuarine closure events and the associated wetland inundation.  During closure events, estuarine environments create a very important drought refuge for a wide range of biota, including many species of fish, birds and invertebrates that are in desperate need of food and shelter.

It is very important that this natural process occurs, otherwise the integrity of the surrounding wetlands and the species it supports may be jeopardised.

During a closure nutrients from the upstream catchment and surrounding areas (i.e. nutrients released from the previously dry wetland environments) trigger the growth of bacteria and algae that create an abundance of food for insects and fish, and attract hungry water birds from all over.