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Estuaries in NSW

Tuggerah Lakes
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[Image of Estuary] Tuggerah Lakes
Shape, Size and Scale of Estuary

Estuary Type

Lake

Estuary Characteristics

Area Catchment 745 km2
Waterway Area 70 km2
Entrance Characteristics Intermittently/mechanically opened and untrained
Location (Lat-Long) 33.345S ,  151.504E
Distance (from Sydney) 100 km North
Summary of Available Data Data Pages

Physical Features

This estuary comprises two inter-connected lakes - Tuggerah Lake and Lake Munmorah. These lakes are shallow with an average depth of 1.9 m. The lake water level, which is affected by rainfall more than tide, varies between 0.1 m and 1.0 m above mean sea level. The total perimeter of the lakes is 110 km, 13 km of which is privately owned. The towns of The Entrance and The Entrance North are located to the south and north of the entrance to Tuggerah Lakes respectively.

Significant Estuarine Tributaries

Lake Munmorah
Lake Munmorah
Budgewoi Lake
Tuggerah Lake
Wyong River
Ourimbah Creek
Colongra Lake

Population and Holiday Centres

The Entrance
Toukley
Budgewoi
Wyong

Special Attributes

General

  • Important recreational area for both Sydney and Newcastle - activities include sailing, water skiing, amateur fishing, swimming and rowing.
  • Third largest NSW area of estuarine seagrass meadows (11 km2) - important feeding ground and habitat for many species of aquatic birds.
  • Major commercial fish and prawn producing estuary.

Estuarine Vegetation

The spatial data is reproduced from NSW Fisheries(2006/7) studies, whilst the species makeup is from the West et al.(1985). This map shows the spatial extent of the Estuarine Vegetation.

Type Area Species 1
(km2)
Mangroves 0.001 unknown
Seagrass 17.691 z,h,r
Saltmarsh 0.108

References

R.J. Williams, G. West, D. Morrison and R.G. Creese, (2006),
"Estuarine Resources of New South Wales",
prepared for the Comprehensive Coastal Assessment (DoP) by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens.

R.J. West, C.A. Thorogood, T.R. Walford and R.J. Williams. (1985).
"An Estuarine Inventory for New South Wales, Australia".
Fisheries Bulletin 2. Department of Agriculture, New South Wales.

Estuary Commerce

fishing, boating, tourism

Management Issues

This estuary falls in the area covered by Hunter/Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority.

Tuggerah Lakes

Current Situation

Wyong Council has formed the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Committee to prepare a management plan for Tuggerah Lakes estuary.

A Process Study phase has been finalised and has identified the following key issues which will form the scope of the next stage management study:

  • ecologically sustainable management of estuarine beaches and foreshore
  • protection of ecologically sensitive habitats, e.g.. Budgewoi Sandmass, Tuggerah Bay wetlands and seagrass meadows
  • managing potentially elevated nutrients and sediment loads to the estuary from increased urbanisation and development in the catchments
  • identification and management of those nutrients responsible for excessive aquatic plant growth
  • implications of periodic dredging of rivers and the tidal delta at The Entrance
  • practical and ecological implications of a second entrance and/or breakwalls to alter existing estuarine mixing and flushing
  • the management of both recreational and commercial fisheries
  • potential ecological effects of mine subsidence
  • the feasibility of using "Bioindicators" to quantify whether management targets for the estuary are attained.

A draft management study has been prepared and is currently undergoing peer review.

The Estuary Management Process 2

Process Status Date
Form Estuary Management Committee (EMC) completed
Assemble Existing Data completed
Carryout Process Study completed 2000
Carryout Estuary Management Study commenced 2002
Draft Estuary Management Plan none
Review Estuary Management Plan none
Implement Estuary Management Plan none
Monitor and Review Estuary Management Process none

Contact Details

Wyong Shire Council Sian Fawcett
Ph (02) 4350 5506

References

Local Government Areas

Wyong

NSW 1:25000 Map Name(s)

Catherine Hill Bay
Toukley
Wyong
Dooralong