A large rock chute on a section of You You Creek south-east of Barmah will help stop further creek-bed erosion and help protect the Goulburn River.
You You Creek is one of a number of waterways that form part of the Deep Creek anabranch network on the lower Goulburn River floodplain.
Goulburn Broken CMA Project Officer Corey Wilson said it was recently noted that a knick point – a change in the creek bed’s gradient - had increased upstream by 30m since the site was first identified as an avulsion risk (a change in the river course) in 2008.
“The erosion created by the moving and growing knick point can potentially, over a long period of time, alter the course of the creek and ’capture’ other waterways,” Mr Wilson said.
“The work that has been carried out on You You Creek is designed to reduce the likelihood of the Goulburn River abandoning its current position on the floodplain in favour of a shorter, straighter and steeper course through You You Creek. When a river abandons a long section of channel, the change in course is defined as an avulsion.
“Although avulsions are a natural process in river development, they can be exacerbated by erosion and if we allowed them to move across the landscape freely they would cause significant damage to infrastructure and private property.”
After working with the land owner to access the creek, the Goulburn Broken CMA worked with a local contractor to construct a rock chute (33m wide and 51m long), which required around 2,000 tonne of rock.
The rock chute has repaired the existing erosion and evens out the creek bed’s gradient to reduce the likelihood of an avulsion occurring. The area around the large rock chute will now be revegetated with local tree, shrub and ground cover species to reduce the risk of further erosion in the area.
The Goulburn Broken CMA received funding for the work from the Victorian Government’s On Ground Works Program.