EstuaryWatch Data Portal

Nancy Maclean also sampling

No bird life 

Kim Morton also sampling

Monitored due to current ocean storm surge /flooding

Wind NNW

Kim Morton sampler

strong flow in from ocean

SSW wind

Moderate/rough sea state

Sea state - moderate to rough

Rivermouth being opened by excavator by Parks Vic at time of monitoring

Sandi Stannard also present

Sandi Stannard also present

River outflow tannin rich

Dead baby seal washed up beside river mouth

Sandi Stannard also monitoring

Wind gusting up to 4 on Beaufort Scale

Thick layer of river reeds across much of track to beach

Water surging back and forth at AHD meter at start  0.64-0.68

Flow in and out along separate channels-river flow on west side, sea inflow on east.

Brown river discolouration of sea less extensive than last month

Long wave crests surging into lagoon

Wind gusting

Extensive brown discolouration in river and sea

Strong longshore drift and long small waves well up into estuary

Gentle wind gusts

Forgot to check AHD on way out-sorry!

AHD estimate only-scale covered with dirt

Unable to read actual water level as board very dirty at bottom. <0.4 at start and finish

Wide beach in lagoon causing narrow shallow point in estuary inside mouth

Outflow had deep segment next to rocks and shallow segment next to beach

Narrow channel at mouth on far side of rock trio with fast outflow

Large area of very brown sea at mouth

Pronounced longshore drift

Large sandy beach on lagoon

Extensive brown discolouration out to sea

Longshore drift

Difficult to read AHD-very dirty, markings not visible

Strong southerly wind gusts

Sea extensively+heavily coloured with dark brown matter from river

From admin: Observations likely taken on Fri 18/10/22 not 22/10/22

Large clumps of reeds on beach.

4m pole with worn surface+bolt lying on beach. Also big log on beach.

Sea dark brown over wide area+waves breaking have brown discolouration.

Water flowing in both directions through mouth.

Clumps of foam on water in estuary.

Fish seen jumping in lagoon.

Extensive sea mist.

Fairly narrow mouth but widened out quickly at dunes.

Gentle slope down to river at mouth with clumps of reeds.

Large tongue of sand behind dunes.

AHD posts removed due to planned bridge replacement. Water level high, almost up to jetty. No sandbank.

Wide estuary mouth, narrow river outflow channel

Large clump of ?reeds ?seaweed in lagoon

I forgot to record tide heights

Access track partially underwater

Mouth closed but an illegal opening occurred on 19-03-20 which created some outflow out for a short period before the channel closed up again by early am 20-03-20

About .30m of last rock above water level at start of river

Water over increased area of top track, low track has water up to ocean car park. Campground has no visible water but very small puddle on north side of OCR before bridge. No water visible on G.O.R.    Small area of shallow water flowing from river is travelling north across OOR  - vehicle access was still possible

Observation taken @ low tide

Sand height has increased between mid beach & mouth. Beach shape has changed, higher @ mid beach with broad projection extending slightly out to sea, while area towards mouth is higher - the area to east is lower & undulating. A sandbar is running parallel to shore about 40m. out, starting from the projection & continuing close to mouth

Upstream flats up to G4 are starting to flood . No water over OOR nor in area upstream G4 apart from small area between G5& G4

Observations made @ Low tide

River perched-some waves going up into river with return to ocean. Waves occasionally overtopping all along beachfront. Previous very rough seas have over topped beach front & travelled down wide shallow depression behind  entering river channel on both sides of rocks - action of backwash to ocean has reduced height of beach front near mouth & created a very low gradual rise up to the start of the river

Seal on Princetown beach 02-03-2020

Reducing outflow carrying a large amount of sand. Then travelling  along foreshore to east Also lighter discharge going to west.Height of beach from mid beach to mouth has increased but from mid beach where it is highest to east the end  it is much  lower. Waves from last high tide have been overtopping & travelling along a wide shallow depression to enter channel around rocks. Sheer east side to channel near mouth indicates a strong flow at last change of tide

Fast flow out from receding tide & reduced wave height. Slight discharge to east.     Mid beach highest area -undulating to east end. Depression between beach front & dunes remains.Waves have been travelling down this area & entering river channel on both sides of rocks (confirmed by swash line)

Heavy wet fog with poor visibility

Large patches of seagrass & algae along SE & E side of lagoon. Large areas of algae forming in Latrobe creek wetlands

1 dead flounder near river channel -stranded

Strong longshore drift meeting outflow & incoming SW swell =large waves across entrance with some covering rocks  & going up channel into lagoon.  Overtopping waves at east end of beach have created a wide depression between beach front & dunes. Tidal range for 27-01-2020 was between 1.13 @ 02:33 & 0.17 @ 19:57

Very shallow outflow out over increased sand build up at entrance & along channel. Very rough sea with occasional very high waves creating back wash & strong longshore drift which meets incoming SW swell & slight outflow = some small waves entering along east side of channel. Beach front very high at east end of beach but over topping waves have made a very large pool in the wide lower area between it & the dunes, this wide area extends west towards entrance.

Bittern was sighted near flood markers on Old Ocean Road on 19-01-20  (Mark Cuthell)

Very pale discharge out only around the mouth. Increased sand build up at entrance & along channel. Flow very shallow & narrow except where it becomes very wide downstream of rocks. Occasional long shore drift across entrance & some small waves entering & travelling along east side of channel into lagoon

Very large no. of small 2-3 cm. fish + a few larger ones in shallow water along east side of lagoon

16-01-20- extremely thin dead Petrel washed up on ocean beach

AHD board @ G6 covered with silt -unreadable

Very pale narrow, shallow outflow curving to east out over high sand build up. Waves & longshore drift impacting across entrance. Large amount of sand visible moving in flow down channel. Sand bar exposed also very large sand area projecting into lagoon south side of lagoon.

Edge of channel directly downstream of rocks has sheer east side

Sand high & projecting out to sea @ mid beach & continuing on to east end. Waves have overtopped beach front in this area & run down shallow channel in sand towards entrance

AHD board @ G6 covered with thick silt -Unreadable

Dark discharge flowing out over an increased height of sand buildup around mouth & to south. SW swell impacting on west side of sand projection mid beach creating backwash & longshore drift which is mixing with incoming swell causing small waves up to rocks then low against east side of channel continuing around & across front of large sand projection to SE corner of lagoon. Area east of 1st rock has been filled with sand & water only flowing through narrow gap between !st & 2nd rock with a larger area of flow against cliff.

Very low tide has exposed large areas of sand on ocean beach & in lagoon where areas of algae occur along east side of lagoon. Algae is also covering areas of both west & north wetlands

AHD G2 0.50    AHD G6  1.00 @  11:45

Outflow reducing - dark discharge only around entrance & south out to sea. Sand has built up in channel & at mouth. As a result of wave impact & recent short time swell times the beach has dramatically changed with very high /wide build up of sand projecting a long way out to sea from about 50m from entrance to east end.This build up has high front to sea & a large depression behind the front extending towards dunes. South west swell is impacting on start of projection & causing some longshore drift back to west across the mouth. The beach from the start of the projection to mouth is lower & has formed a bay

Dark discharge out mainly around the mouth -slight paler water along shoreline.

SW /WSW swell = occasional longshore drift to mouth creating small waves along east side of channel into the lagoon. Mid beach has 2 high areas of sand the most easterly one projecting out to sea. Waves going over this have created a small area of retained salt water further up the beach. Beach is undulating N/S with depressions allowing waves to go further up on beach & scour out sand with backwash

Sand on south side of lagoon well exposed extending far into lagoon. Separate sand bar closer to G2 is also exposed. The area on east side has a very large amount of green algae covering dying sea grass. Latrobe wetlands also has algae over most of the water

AHD G6 2.64 @ 14:50

Dark discharge mainly around mouth, paler going east along foreshore.SW swell 14-13 sec impacting most of the beach except for around the mouth which is receiving the resulting longshore drift crossing & producing small waves down channel where sand being carried in outflow is visible. Beach has many wide deep north/south depressions caused by wave impact & backwash

Very large area of sand extending north into lagoon but sand bar is not visible

Extremely large number of Bluebottles in swash line all along beach

AHD G6 3.24 @ 14:28

Very dark strong discharge out around the mouth for about 100 m. also continuing a long way to the east along the shoreline. Eastern end of beach covered with dark silt. The strong outflow has created sheer east side to channel about 1 m. high above water level (87 ml rain @ G6 over past 8 days). Beach is undulating & scouring areas especially at mid beach where backwash is taking out a lot of sand  -waves in all directions at this area creating occasional longshore drift across mouth. Large amount of sand build up remains downstream of rocks but is being covered by outflow & entering waves. More erosion on east face of Pt. Ronald.

Large areas of deep flood water covering large areas from G4 & G5 (also some between G5 &G6) but very little downstream G4. OOR only had slight flow across near flood markers (run off only.

AHD G6 1.29 @13:20

Outflow reducing but dark discharge out around mouth & along foreshore to the east. More sand visible in channel & larger build up down stream of rocks . Occasional longshore drift across mouth. Sand is wide & high at east end of beach with a slight bay forming

Low tide - sandbar in lagoon slightly exposed. Large amount of rotting vegetation along waters edge east side of lagoon also remains of dead Wallaby/Kangaroo?

AHD G6 1.64  &  08:30

Some flow out but difficult to access Gp1 site because of near gale force gusty wind from NW. Wind coming in all directions depending on location - but mainly across lagoon to SE cr.  Very strong down channel driving large amount of sand into sea. Very high & low tides during 18-10-19 with SW/WSW swell of between 12-13 secs. duration impacting mainly @ east end of beach creating longshore drift to  mouth where backwash was rolling sand all along the edge of the channel

Only 1 photo because of conditions

AHD board unreadable

unusual conditions with ESE swell 6-7 sec time duration. Very low water levels uncovering a very large sand build up in lagoon. Outflow very shallow over large wide area at entrance but channel deeper upstream rocks. Continual longshore drift across mouth. Beach front very high at mid beach

AHD G6 about 2.20    G2 about  0.28 AHD boards covered with silt & debris = estimate only

Dark discharge out around mouth, along foreshore turning out to sea at eastern end of beach. Moderate SW swell impacting east end of beach & longshore drift across entrance -sand has built up higher at mid beach.. Low tide has exposed sand bar in lagoon also decaying vegetation scum covering sea grass along edge of low track. North wind is driving waves into SE corner of lagoon.

Continuing erosion occurring on cliff face