Integrated environmental monitoring during dredging for the Alkimos wastewater pipeline

Craig Blount; Arthur Dye; Chris Roberts; Jo Buckee; Marcus Lincoln Smith; Paul Branson; David Taylor; Andrew Baker; Virginia Piscioneri

Integrated environmental monitoring during dredging for the Alkimos wastewater pipeline

Craig Blount^*, Arthur Dye, Chris Roberts, Jo Buckee, Marcus Lincoln Smith, Paul Branson, David Taylor, Andrew Baker, Virginia Piscioneri

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Alkimos (located 27 km north of Perth) is the site of a new wastewater treatment plant to service Perth's future northern growth corridor. As part of the Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant Ocean Outfall Pipeline construction project a trench was blasted and dredged through the nearshore reef. The pipeline route extended 3.7 km from its land entry point in a direction perpendicular to the shore. To minimise the impacts associated with construction activities, a condition of environmental approval was to undertake continual monitoring of turbidity and light attenuation associated with construction activities and monthly monitoring of benthic primary producer habitat (BPPH).

Proactive assessment against management triggers and implementation of associated management responses were necessary to ensure that benthic losses did not exceed 2% in the defined management area. In order to detect such a small change in BPPH, Cardno scientists undertook an extensive monitoring programme before, during and after dredging. A drop-video camera provided photoquadrats of BPPH in a potential area of Impact and Reference areas. In photoquadrats, percent cover of BPPH was quantified to detect changes relative to the pre-impact survey and the Reference areas. Simultaneous measurement of water quality parameters (turbidity, light attenuation and total suspended solids) assisted in defining relationships between dredging volume and condition of BPPH.

This study has significant implications for designing impact studies and assisting industry in negotiating monitoring conditions with regulators.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, COASTS and PORTS 2011
Subtitle of host publication	proceedings
Place of Publication	Barton, ACT
Publisher	Engineers Australia
Pages	549-554
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Print)	9781622764303
Publication status	Published - 2011
Externally published	Yes
Event	20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011, COASTS 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, PORTS 2011 - Perth, WA, Australia Duration: 28 Sept 2011 → 30 Sept 2011

Other

Other	20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011, COASTS 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, PORTS 2011
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Perth, WA
Period	28/09/11 → 30/09/11

Keywords

Benthic habitat
Dredging
Light attenuation
Monitoring
Reef ecology
Turbidity

Cite this

Blount, C., Dye, A., Roberts, C., Buckee, J., Smith, M. L., Branson, P., Taylor, D., Baker, A., & Piscioneri, V. (2011). Integrated environmental monitoring during dredging for the Alkimos wastewater pipeline. In 20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, COASTS and PORTS 2011: proceedings (pp. 549-554). Engineers Australia.

@inproceedings{b21de81c7cfb4dbc959293afd539d14c,

title = "Integrated environmental monitoring during dredging for the Alkimos wastewater pipeline",

abstract = "Alkimos (located 27 km north of Perth) is the site of a new wastewater treatment plant to service Perth's future northern growth corridor. As part of the Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant Ocean Outfall Pipeline construction project a trench was blasted and dredged through the nearshore reef. The pipeline route extended 3.7 km from its land entry point in a direction perpendicular to the shore. To minimise the impacts associated with construction activities, a condition of environmental approval was to undertake continual monitoring of turbidity and light attenuation associated with construction activities and monthly monitoring of benthic primary producer habitat (BPPH). Proactive assessment against management triggers and implementation of associated management responses were necessary to ensure that benthic losses did not exceed 2% in the defined management area. In order to detect such a small change in BPPH, Cardno scientists undertook an extensive monitoring programme before, during and after dredging. A drop-video camera provided photoquadrats of BPPH in a potential area of Impact and Reference areas. In photoquadrats, percent cover of BPPH was quantified to detect changes relative to the pre-impact survey and the Reference areas. Simultaneous measurement of water quality parameters (turbidity, light attenuation and total suspended solids) assisted in defining relationships between dredging volume and condition of BPPH. This study has significant implications for designing impact studies and assisting industry in negotiating monitoring conditions with regulators.",

keywords = "Benthic habitat, Dredging, Light attenuation, Monitoring, Reef ecology, Turbidity",

author = "Craig Blount and Arthur Dye and Chris Roberts and Jo Buckee and Smith, {Marcus Lincoln} and Paul Branson and David Taylor and Andrew Baker and Virginia Piscioneri",

year = "2011",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781622764303",

pages = "549--554",

booktitle = "20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, COASTS and PORTS 2011",

publisher = "Engineers Australia",

address = "Australia",

note = "20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011, COASTS 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, PORTS 2011 ; Conference date: 28-09-2011 Through 30-09-2011",

}

Blount, C, Dye, A, Roberts, C, Buckee, J, Smith, ML, Branson, P, Taylor, D, Baker, A & Piscioneri, V 2011, Integrated environmental monitoring during dredging for the Alkimos wastewater pipeline. in 20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, COASTS and PORTS 2011: proceedings. Engineers Australia, Barton, ACT, pp. 549-554, 20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011, COASTS 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, PORTS 2011, Perth, WA, Australia, 28/09/11.

Integrated environmental monitoring during dredging for the Alkimos wastewater pipeline. / Blount, Craig; Dye, Arthur; Roberts, Chris et al.
20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, COASTS and PORTS 2011: proceedings. Barton, ACT: Engineers Australia, 2011. p. 549-554.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Integrated environmental monitoring during dredging for the Alkimos wastewater pipeline

AU - Blount, Craig

AU - Dye, Arthur

AU - Roberts, Chris

AU - Buckee, Jo

AU - Smith, Marcus Lincoln

AU - Branson, Paul

AU - Taylor, David

AU - Baker, Andrew

AU - Piscioneri, Virginia

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Alkimos (located 27 km north of Perth) is the site of a new wastewater treatment plant to service Perth's future northern growth corridor. As part of the Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant Ocean Outfall Pipeline construction project a trench was blasted and dredged through the nearshore reef. The pipeline route extended 3.7 km from its land entry point in a direction perpendicular to the shore. To minimise the impacts associated with construction activities, a condition of environmental approval was to undertake continual monitoring of turbidity and light attenuation associated with construction activities and monthly monitoring of benthic primary producer habitat (BPPH). Proactive assessment against management triggers and implementation of associated management responses were necessary to ensure that benthic losses did not exceed 2% in the defined management area. In order to detect such a small change in BPPH, Cardno scientists undertook an extensive monitoring programme before, during and after dredging. A drop-video camera provided photoquadrats of BPPH in a potential area of Impact and Reference areas. In photoquadrats, percent cover of BPPH was quantified to detect changes relative to the pre-impact survey and the Reference areas. Simultaneous measurement of water quality parameters (turbidity, light attenuation and total suspended solids) assisted in defining relationships between dredging volume and condition of BPPH. This study has significant implications for designing impact studies and assisting industry in negotiating monitoring conditions with regulators.

AB - Alkimos (located 27 km north of Perth) is the site of a new wastewater treatment plant to service Perth's future northern growth corridor. As part of the Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant Ocean Outfall Pipeline construction project a trench was blasted and dredged through the nearshore reef. The pipeline route extended 3.7 km from its land entry point in a direction perpendicular to the shore. To minimise the impacts associated with construction activities, a condition of environmental approval was to undertake continual monitoring of turbidity and light attenuation associated with construction activities and monthly monitoring of benthic primary producer habitat (BPPH). Proactive assessment against management triggers and implementation of associated management responses were necessary to ensure that benthic losses did not exceed 2% in the defined management area. In order to detect such a small change in BPPH, Cardno scientists undertook an extensive monitoring programme before, during and after dredging. A drop-video camera provided photoquadrats of BPPH in a potential area of Impact and Reference areas. In photoquadrats, percent cover of BPPH was quantified to detect changes relative to the pre-impact survey and the Reference areas. Simultaneous measurement of water quality parameters (turbidity, light attenuation and total suspended solids) assisted in defining relationships between dredging volume and condition of BPPH. This study has significant implications for designing impact studies and assisting industry in negotiating monitoring conditions with regulators.

KW - Benthic habitat

KW - Dredging

KW - Light attenuation

KW - Monitoring

KW - Reef ecology

KW - Turbidity

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874176088&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Conference proceeding contribution

AN - SCOPUS:84874176088

SN - 9781622764303

SP - 549

EP - 554

BT - 20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, COASTS and PORTS 2011

PB - Engineers Australia

CY - Barton, ACT

T2 - 20th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference 2011, COASTS 2011 and the 13th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference 2011, PORTS 2011

Y2 - 28 September 2011 through 30 September 2011

ER -

Integrated environmental monitoring during dredging for the Alkimos wastewater pipeline

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