Trapping nutrient and sediment flow from Ourimbah Creek to Tuggerah Lake
We are nurturing rainforest vegetation on the floodplain of Ourimbah Creek so that it traps sediment and nutrients such as phosphorus every time there is a flood.
How this helps to reduce downstream pollution is detailed on this website: https://sites.google.com/site/nutrisedimentfilter/
Below is the creek bank during normal weather. The creek water is clear and confined to the creek bed.
The same place after heavy rain and the creek has burst its banks. The mud that colours the floodwater has been scoured from the catchment upstream and is rich in the nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen. Much of that mud is being deposited on the floodplain where the rainforest vegetation slows down the current. This helps protect the Tuggerah Lakes downstream from being polluted by nutrient runoff.
