Works to reduce future flood impacts at Riverside Park near Uki will get underway from Monday 18 September 2023.
Last year's flood was the largest on record and caused severe erosion along the middle reaches of the Tweed River downstream of Uki, resulting in major damage to riverbanks, roads, bridges and riparian vegetation.
The disaster left Riverside Park, opposite Glenock Road, in critical need of restoration after it lost more than 45 m of vegetated bank, leaving parts of the bank just 5 to 15 metres away from busy Kyogle Road. This reach of the river is part of the Tweed's drinking water supply and supports platypus and other threatened species.
Project Officer Waterways Matthew Bloor said major environment and infrastructure impacts could occur if these stabilisation works did not go ahead.
"A dominant process observed following the 2022 flood event has been the erosion of riverbanks and floodplains on the inside of bends associated with the scour of point bars. Major channel scour, bank retreat and significant channel straightening and widening are the result," Mr Bloor said.
"If the Tweed River continues to straighten, there will be significant impacts on road infrastructure, further loss of riparian vegetation and agricultural lands and increased sediment loads in the Tweed River estuary.
"Rebuilding the riverbeds and stabilising vegetation will help restore the natural channel shape, reducing erosion and future flood impacts.
"Restoring river health and revegetating flood-damaged banks will support platypus and other key freshwater species and improve fish habitat further downstream by reducing sediment loads in the Tweed River estuary."
Restoration works will involve:
- installing timber piles into the riverbed in rows to capture natural sand and gravel to rebuild riverbed levels
- installing rock revetment along unprotected sections of riverbank
- planting stabilising vegetation to minimise erosion in future floods.
Construction will commence on 18 September 2023 and will take approximately 6 to 8 weeks to complete.
The works require the closure of one lane of Kyogle Road for the safety of workers and road users and to allow for construction vehicle access.
Council acknowledges the support of the North Coast Local Land Services and the NSW Government in funding this project, who provided more than $600,000 to restore this 700 m stretch of the Tweed River below Cudgenbil Waterhole.
Mr Bloor said the project addressed actions in Council's Marine Estate Management Strategy (MEMS) to improve water quality for the benefit of marine habitats, wildlife and the community.
