Lakes Entrance Sand Management Program

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Gippsland Ports engaged GHD to provide engineering advice, research and design services for the Lakes Entrance Sand Management Program (LESMP). The aim is to keep the entrance environmentally-sustainable and open for commercial and recreational vessels in the long-term.

Located in Victoria, the Gippsland Lakes consist of a network of five rivers and four lakes covering approximately 400 sq km. The entrance provides access to Bass Strait through a man-made opening constructed in 1889. Today, Lakes Entrance is home to Victoria’s largest commercial fishing fleet and plays an important role in the economy of East Gippsland.

For this reason, keeping the entrance open is critical to the viability of the fishing and recreation industries. Historically, sand management has involved dredging material from within the inner channels and the bar by either side-casting or pumping this sand through a sand transfer system to a beach discharge point east of the entrance. Despite a persistent dredging program over the past 25 years, there has been a net accumulation of sand both on the bar and within the inner channels.

The LESMP is sponsored by the State Government of Victoria. GHD is involved at all work stages – the trial of a sand bypass system, trial of a trailing suction hopper dredge, specifications for a new dredge, refit of the sand transfer station and monitoring.

The LESMP is on schedule for completion in 2010.

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Investment in marine expansion and renewals for local growth and international access, is essential if countries are to maintain their competitiveness in a global market. This involves giving priority to the benefits of an integrated freight network, without detrimental effect to the environment, safety or security. A growing emphasis on quality of life is also increasing the demand for marine recreational facilities across the globe.

GHD can assist you with your plans to balance marine infrastructure growth and development with environmental protection, community safety and respond to security regulations, increase capacity and supply chain efficiency, while engaging stakeholders to sustain competitive service quality.

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