8622-11 Snowy River - Brodribb River Confluence

8622 7-14 (part 8522) - Snowy River Estuary and Floodplain

This information has been developed from the publications:

Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in Central Gippsland (1981) by Neville Rosengren, M.S McRae-Williams and S.M Kraemers.
Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in the Gippsland Lakes Catchment (1984) by Neville Rosengren.
Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in East Gippsland, Victoria (1981) by Neville Rosengren, M.S McRae-Williams

Geological heritage sites, including sites of geomorphological interest and volcanic heritage sites, are under regular revision by the Geological Society of Australia, especially in the assessment of significance and values. Reference should be made to the most recent reports. See the Earth Science Heritage section of the Geological Society of Australia website for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.

Location:	340173. 3 kilometres north-west of Marlo.	Lake Corringle (A). Snowy river (B)/Brodribb River (C) confluence. Arrow indicates site of future cut-off (Source: RAAF, 1941).
Abstract:	Meanders, flood plain deposits.
Access:	Boat in Snowy River.
Ownership:	Private Island.
Geology/Geomorphology:	Below Orbost, the Snowy River channel is relatively straight with meanders of small amplitude and long wave length. Near the confluence of the Brodribb River the channel is more sinuous and meanders of both rivers have low point bar ridges of coarse sand on the inside of the meander bends. A tight meander on the Snowy near the confluence with the Brodribb was breached by flooding in 1964 and the upstream end of the new cut-off is now blocked by sand and silt. The downstream end of the meander is open to flood tidal inflow from the Snowy estuary and is becoming a more saline lagoon as it receives fresh water inflow.
Significance:	Local. The formation of a cut-off meander is unusual in the general development of the Snowy River flood plain. This is an interesting site from the viewpoint of monitoring the rates and types of sediments accumulating in the abandoned river section.
Management:	Removal of sand from the new cut-off should be prohibited as this would reduce the value of the site for monitoring the rate of sedimentation.

Image: East Gippsland Sites of Significance

Lake Corringle, Snowy River/Brodribb River confluence. Note cut-off meander (A) on Snowy River.

Sites 8622 7 to 16

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