Yesterday (Thursday 18 April) staff from the Glenelg Hopkins CMA, Parks Victoria and DEECA Forest Fire Management undertook an authorised river mouth opening on the Glenelg River estuary at Nelson.

Works were undertaken in response to current and future flooding impacts, and to balance the environmental, social, economic, and recreational values of the estuarine system.

The Glenelg River estuary had been closed over recent weeks, which is a natural feature of this intermittently closed estuarine system. The CMA had been monitoring the system closely, with the hope that a natural estuary opening would occur. Unfortunately, this did not happen, as challenging autumn swell and tidal patterns created a very large sand bar/beach berm at the mouth which posed significant flooding and safety impacts on the estuary.

Opening conditions were Safe, Appropriate and Effective; and works were undertaken under state legislation and Victorian Waterway Management policy delegation.