Year 10: Coastal Management - 7.6 The Tweed River Entrance Sand Bypassing Project

1) It became necessary to extend the Tweed River breakwaters because the continual build of sand on the southern side caused the river mouth to silt up again, which meant the entrance wasn't safe to use

2) There wouldn't be any sand to be collected for beach nourishment for the Gold Coast Beaches as there would've been before the breakwaters created as there would be less of a sand buildup. Also, after a severe storm, more sand would be built up along the Southern side of the Tweed River would be a lot more trucking of sand into the Gold Coast which would cost a lot more

3) Due to sandbars constantly forming along the entrance to the Tweed River, ships couldn't enter the River because they would run aground. The natural process is called longshore drift

4) Dredging of the Tweed River was a short term goal as it didn't last long as more and more sand continuously built up and the cost of having to dredge it all out was extremely expensive as it had to be done regularly

5) TRESBP replaced natural longshore drift by shifting the built up sand onto other beaches through pipes so that the sand would nourish other beaches and outlets inside of letting the sand and silt building up on the Tweed River

6) The TRESBP was one of the most successful coastal management schemes because it managed to remove the sand and silt build up on the Tweed River and removed it safely without causing harm to the environment, to other outlets such as West and East Snapper Rocks aswell as dredging to the Gold Coast. It also costs a lot less than constantly dredging to the Gold Coast via massive trucks.

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8) Since 1962, the breakwaters at the Tweed River have constantly got larger and larger to prevent the buildup of sand aswell as the money needed to extend breakwaters and maintain the River Entrance.
9) The lengths of breakwaters are roughly 250 metres on the North entrance and 25 metres on the South entrance