Estuary Management Planning Currarong Creek - 2005

 

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Indicator description

What does the Data tell us for 2005

Environmental Overview

Environmental attributes

Environmental issues

Environmental pressures

Natural Resource Management Strategy

 

Environmental Overview

There are three small, permanent creek systems at Currarong: Plutus Creek, Abrahams Bosom Creek and Currarong Creek.  Together these creeks have a catchment area of approximately 2 sq km.   The estuarine parts of these three creeks are places where marine and terrestrial processes interact to produce particularly sensitive and complex coastal environments.

Currarong Creek is the largest of the three creeks and has a catchment of around 1.2 sq km, which is predominantly natural bushland controlled and used by the Department of Defence.  Currarong village has been built around the entrance to Currarong Creek.  The township’s resident population is around 550 people.

Most of the land surrounding the Currarong village is bushland, reserved for public recreation, environmental protection or defence purposes.  The ocean waters adjacent to the village and the tidal part of Currarong Creek are part of the Jervis Bay Marine Park.

Currarong's waterways and their catchments are characterised by many environmental, social, commercial and recreational values that make them popular places for a wide variety of activities.  However, the pressure of these uses has sometimes resulted in competition for and degradation of the area's natural resources.

Shoalhaven City Council has prepared a Natural Resource Management Strategy for Currarong Creek.  An Entrance Management Plan is planned and an interim policy is outlined in the Natural Resource Management Strategy

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Environmental attributes include:

  • The complexity of the physical environment at Currarong results in a wide range of habitats on which plants and animals have become dependent;

  • Beecroft Peninsula is located at the intersection of warm temperate species nearing their southern geographical limit and cool temperate species nearing their northern geographical limit.  This has resulted in a high biological diversity that is of great heritage and scientific value. Many of the vegetation types are significant because they are rare in the region, and / or contain rare or threatened plants;

  • Various wetlands adjoining the estuarine section of Currarong are protected under Coastal Wetlands State Environmental Planning Policy No 14; and

  • Large areas within the catchment, such as Abrahams Bosom Reserve and much of the Commonwealth land, are relatively undisturbed, resulting from the geographical isolation of the area and the Department of Defence

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Environmental issues include:

  • Pollution from effluent disposal systems in the village is believed to be affecting water quality in the creek.  This leads to potential health risks for swimmers;

  • Some aboriginal sites are being damaged;

  • Modifications to Currarong Creek (the sand spur, which is not a natural feature of the creek system, and the loss of the former distinct ebb/flood channels, constriction by bridge buttresses) are believed to have reduced the natural flushing of sand from the entrance during floods.  These modifications are believed to have affected its natural values;

  • Currarong Creek continues to suffer from increased sedimentation.  This may have contributed to increased growth of seagrass, which has reduced navigability and decreased the area of the creek available for swimming.  Sedimentation is most apparent in still water deposition zones and where mangroves are beginning to establish behind the sand dune;

  • Various sites throughout the catchment suffer from erosion: dune erosion at Warrain Beach threatens the road and houses in Warrain Crescent; there is bank erosion downstream of the boat ramp in Currarong Creek; foreshore erosion exists at the end of Piscator Avenue;

  • Boat launching at the Yalwal Street ramp is, at times, hazardous, placing greater pressure on other facilities;

  • At times localised flooding in the village occurs when stormwater drains overflow;

  • The entrance of Currarong Creek is at times not navigable due to inflow of marine sand and subsequent shallowing;

  • The proximity of the village to the creek means there is a high rubbish load being washed onto beaches and into creeks; and

  • Introduced animals, including foxes, cats, black rats & rabbits, threaten native animal & plant populations.

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Environmental pressures include:

  • Vehicles accessing the beach are causing damage to the dune;

  • Frequent creek entrance excavation and dredging of the channel may degrade the habitat for fish and other aquatic species, and limit passive recreational opportunities;

  • The sediment load of Currarong Creek is contributed to from a variety of disturbances within the catchment, including: erosion of tracks and craters on Beecroft Weapons Range, unsealed road verges and stormwater drains in Currarong Village and the gravel pit off Lighthouse Road;

  • Weeds, although scarce overall (only 25 species have been recorded on the Beecroft Weapons Range), are prevalent in some areas where they threaten native plant communities;

  • Frequent fires in some areas affect the viability of some plant and animal populations;

  • Water flows in Plutus Creek have been modified, affecting flooding of Currarong Road and the creek entrance condition;

  • Runoff from the now closed tip site may leach pollutants into the creek;

  • Sea level rise as a result of global warming may threaten private and public facilities; and

  • Removal of sand from the entrance of the creek & other dredging has a high financial cost.

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Natural Resource Management Strategy

Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales and Commonwealth Government agencies, and the community have prepared and adopted a Natural Resources Management Strategy for Currarong Creek on the 18/12/2001.  It acknowledges past environmental management, attempts to integrate current programs and proposes some new approaches.  We are doing this to safeguard the ecology of the waterways and their catchments, to balance potentially competing uses and to provide a framework for future planning.

Key implementation actions in progress or completed in partnership with SCC and DIPNR and funded under the

Estuary Program include:

  • 2002-ongoing Inspection and monitoring of septic systems;

  • 2003 commence investigation and design for reticulated sewerage system;

  • 2003-2004 preparation of Entrance Management Policy and Review of Environmental Factors $20,000. Draft Policy is currently under State Government Agency review prior to release to the NRM committee for consideration and public exhibition;

  • 2003-2004 implementation of Bushfire Asset Protection Zones for the village;

  • 2003-2005 Design and Implementation of Foreshore Rehabilitation Plans $35,000 Stage 1 complete with creek bank revegetation fronting the caravan park. Stage 2 site selection has been completed and approved by the NRM committee. Detailed design and contract documentation for Stage 2 sites are in preparation completion scheduled for Autumn 2006; and

  • 2004 Catchment Stormwater Review $10,000 completed and currently under review.

Coastal Program

  • 2003 Coastal Erosion Study $20,000 completed. Coastal Management Study and Planning phases to commence in 2006. Consultants are currently being selected for the city wide Coastal hazard study and planning project tender budgeted at $450,000; and

  • 2002 Beecroft Headland Track Upgrade Stage 1 completed $40,000

Waterways Program

  • 2002-2004 Yalwal Street Boat ramp Upgrade Feasibility Study: submitted in the Waterways and DIPNR Programs for matching grant funding $15,000; and

  • 2004 Yalwal St boatramp: rock floaters removed from launching area to improve safety conditions

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Surface Water Quality Currarong Creek

 

Home | Water | Coast and Estuaries | Currarong Creek| 2005