TSHD Lakes Entrance Dredging Update

This report is referred and regularly updated to provide reporting on the planned and actual progress of TSHD dredging activity at Lakes Entrance.

2021-2022 Dredging Activity Report
2021 Annual Summary
• 570 loads placed in the Dredged Material Grounds
• 312,956m3 sand dredged
• 157,022m3 sand removed from The Bar
• 155,934m3 sand removed from the Inner Channels
Notable achievements in 2021
Tommy Norton
• Planning commenced for drydocking of Tommy Norton in 2022
• Tommy Norton dredged 66% of available days. Dredging opportunity is limited by prevailing weather and sea conditions.
• >4,000m3 dredged in a day
• >40,000m3 dredged in a month
• >300,000m3 dredged in the year, which is the annual volume that Tommy Norton is designed to be able to achieve at Lakes Entrance.
Kalimna
• Kalimna completed major slipping and maintenance
• Dredged the Bullock Island Boatyard harbour to improve access for vessels
• Dredged the lower North Arm to provide safe access to vessels using the Lakes Entrance on-water refuelling facility
• Provided material from North Arm to the renourish Bullock Island beach areas behind the rebuilt seawall for DELWP

2022 Work Comments

January

• Planned annual maintenance completed for all dredging vessels and equipment.
• Dredging operations recommenced mid-January.
• Monthly hydrographic surveys of all channels and survey of known areas of sand accretion identify the areas where sand accretes and dredging is required.
• Tommy Norton and Kalimna continue maintenance dredging of the Bar and areas of the Inner Channels identified by hydrographic survey.
• The 2021 Environmental Management Plan Audit completed with 100% audit compliance result.

February/March 2022 

• Gippsland Lakes Ocean Access annual reports for 2021 completed and submitted to Commonwealth Department of Agriculture Water and Environment (DAWE) and Victorian Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP).
• The reports are underpinned by extensive program monitoring and hydrographic surveys and analysis of the 2021 year dredging and completion of the EMP audit.

April 2022

• A severe storm in early April pushed a large shoal of sand onto the eastern side of the Bar and into the channel. Refer to the attached survey drawing showing the shoaling.
• Tommy Norton worked extra hours, public holidays and weekends whenever conditions allowed to dredge the sand from the shoaled area, prior to voyaging to drydock in May.

May / June 2022

• Technical Advisory Consultative Committee (TACC) meeting held with agency, industry and interest group stakeholders.
• Tommy Norton attending dry dock in May / June to complete 5 year out-of-water maintenance and complete 5 year Class survey requirements.
• Work planning and contract requirements with OEM suppliers, Bureau Veritas and the Brisbane shipyard is completed in readiness for Tommy Norton arrival in Brisbane. Tommy Norton departed Lakes Entrance on 23^rd May to attend drydock and will return on or about 4^th
• Kalimna will continue to work in the Inner channels.
• There will be no dredging of the Bar while Tommy Norton is away. Hydrographic surveys will continue and Notices to Mariners issued where any changes to navigation are required.
• Dredging results January to May:   72 days dredging    387 Trips,    210,498m3 sand dredged    179,298m3 from the Bar    31,200m3 from inner channels

July to September 2022

• Kalimna will continue to dredge the inner channels and on return from drydocking Tommy Norton will resume dredging, concentrating on priority areas identified by hydrographic survey.