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Turbidity monitoring - Office of the Environmental Monitor

Turbidity Monitoring Program



Turbidity is a measure of the intensity of plume and is affected by the amount of sediment suspended in the water.

The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) specifies limits on the intensity of the dredging plume at 11 locations in the Bay. These limits have been set in accordance with the environmental tolerances of the most sensitive Bay plants and animals in those particular locations such as seagrass, fish (including migratory fish), benthic invertebrates and seabirds.

Photo: A turbidity monitoring buoy. Courtesy of PoMC.

The EMP also requires the use of 'response levels' to ensure early detection of increasing turbidity levels.

Nine other support turbidity monitoring meters exist to provide further information on the Bay’s water quality and the behaviour of the dredging plume. These meters do not have environmental limits.

Turbidity measurements are taken every 12 seconds.

The Port of Melbourne Corporation conducts the monitoring program and releases data from the conformance turbidity monitoring meters weekly while data from the support turbidity monitoring meters is released monthly.

For more information on the Turbidity Monitoring Program refer to the Channel Deepening Project website

Results



Turbidity results release date
Compliance with limits
01/07/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
24/06/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
17/06/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
10/06/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
03/06/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
27/05/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
20/05/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
13/05/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
06/05/2009
In the early hours of 27/04/2009 turbidity levels were still above the environmental limit. This was due to stormy weather on 26/04/2009. See turbidity monitoring report for 29/04/2009.

The turbidity level returned below the environmental limit and all Response Levels by 6.00am on 27/04/2009.
29/04/2009
Following strong winds and rainfall, at midday on 26/04/2009 the turbidity level near the south east Dredged Material Ground exceeded the environmental limit of 17 nephelometric turbidity units (NTUs).

The turbidity level returned below the environmental limit and all Response Levels by 6.00am on 27/04/2009.
22/04/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
15/04/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
08/04/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
01/04/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
25/03/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
18/03/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
11/03/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
04/03/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
25/02/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
18/02/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
11/02/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
04/02/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
28/01/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
21/01/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
14/01/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
07/01/2009
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
31/12/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
24/12/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
17/12/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
10/12/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
03/12/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
26/11/2008
Following rainfall across Melbourne, at midday on 22/11/2008 the turbidity level at the mouth of the Yarra River rose sharply and exceeded the environmental limit of 30 nephelometric turbidity units (NTUs) at 6.00pm.

It fell below the environmental limit at 6.00pm on 23/11/2008.
19/11/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
12/11/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
5/11/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
29/10/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
22/10/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
15/10/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
08/10/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
1/10/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
24/09/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
17/09/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
12/09/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
03/09/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
27/08/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
20/08/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations, despite Response Level 1 being activated.
13/08/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
06/08/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
30/07/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
23/07/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
16/07/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
09/07/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations, despite Response Level 1 being activated.
02/07/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
26/06/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
18/06/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
11/06/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
03/06/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
28/05/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
21/05/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
14/05/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
07/05/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
30/04/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
23/04/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
16/04/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
09/05/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
02/04/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
26/03/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
19/03/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
12/03/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
06/03/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations
15/02/2008
Turbidity levels below limits at all locations

To view information and results from other programs that monitor Bay water quality click on the links below.
Water Quality Monitoring Program
Beach Monitoring Program
Plume Intensity & Extent Monitoring Program
Nutrient Cycling Monitoring Program
Algal Blooms Monitoring Program
Water Quality in Port Phillip & Westernport Catchment Monitoring Program
Bacterial Contamination in the Yarra River Monitoring Program

To view information and results from other environmental limit monitoring programs click on the link below.
Noise Monitoring Programs

Return to a list of all monitoring programs


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