Bank and Riparian Condition Assessments

A series of estuary specific bank and riparian condition assessments are required to provide an updated and comprehensive understanding of the issues associated with bank erosion and riparian condition across 10 flood impacted waterways: Bega, Tuross, Georges, Manning, Bellinger/Kalang, Macleay, Wooli Wooli, Clarence, Richmond, and Brunswick Rivers.

This project will undertake assessments along the foreshores of each of these priority estuaries. The area of assessment for each estuary will be from the mouth of the system to the upper tidal limit and will include all navigable tributaries. Assessments will identify priority areas for natural and built asset protection works to increase bank resilience. The information provided will be used to justify and focus future design and on-ground works to improve estuarine health, riparian vegetation condition, riverbank resilience, and protect threatened species habitat, and cultural values.

The bank and riparian condition assessments will:

•undertake desktop and field assessments of bank and riparian land condition of foreshores – from the mouth of each estuary to the upper tidal limit, including all tributaries. (Note: Estuarine tributaries need only be assessed if reasonably navigable by a standard sized powered vessel)

•identify threats to bank and riparian condition

•assess and prioritise impacts and bank stability risks

•review the effectiveness of existing bank treatment measures

•assess and prioritise the severity of issues and risk to both natural and built assets

•apply the DPI Fisheries Decision Support Tool

•identify appropriate riverbank rehabilitation and protection treatments

•prioritise sites for bank remediation works based on risk to natural and built assets.

•provide a summary report outlining the findings of the field survey and desktop assessment, which at a minimum documents the points listed above

•display data for viewing and interrogation via an online GIS platform. Access to the GIS platform will be provided to both DPI Fisheries and the applicable Local Government Agency for a minimum period of 3 years.

•a copy of all data collected will be provided to both DPI Fisheries and the applicable Local Government Agency in a format compatible with their internal GIS systems"