Murray Serpentine dredging starts

The Department of Transport (DoT) is about to commence work to restore safe navigation depths where the mouths of the Murray and Serpentine river meet in the Peel Inlet. 

DoT Maritime Executive Director Steve Jenkins said the maintenance dredging, last completed nearly 20 years ago in 2004, would commence next week and was expected to take three months.

He said the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) had granted a dredge licence for the project allowing work between May and August in consideration of the Peel Inlet’s peak seasonal timings for public enjoyment, bird migration, fishing and crabbing.

“The project will see approximately 30,000 cubic metres of sand taken from the river channels and pumped through a series of floating and submerged pipes before being deposited underwater in the Peel Inlet 500 metres north west of the river mouths,” Mr Jenkins said.

“Dredging is vital for continued safe passage for residents, recreational vessels, and commercial craft through these well-used waterways.

“Since the last dredging campaign there has been a gradual build-up of material and dredging is again required to re-establish safe navigable depths in the channels.” 

Dredging works are restricted to 6:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday, and 6:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday.  No works will occur on Sundays or public holidays.

Skippers operating in the area during the dredging work should take note of the temporary notice to mariners Peel notices (transport.wa.gov.au).

When navigating near the dredge, skippers should always make radio contact with the dredge to ensure it is safe to pass on VHF Channel 16 or Marine 27MHz Channel 90.

For more information about DoT’s dredging and sand bypassing program visit Coastal erosion and stability. 

Media contact: media@transport.wa.gov.au