INVESTIGATING DREDGE PLACEMENT OPTIMISATION TO BENEFIT SURF AMENITY

Dredge material removed from the Tweed River Entrance is deposited offshore Gold Coast beaches to assist in mitigating erosion. Research was undertaken by Queensland Government Hydraulics Laboratory (QGHL), collaboration with Sand Bypassing (TSB), investigate potential of targeting dredge depositions also improve surf amenity. A time-domain numerical wave model (SWASH) developed as a design tool and calibrated using physical data. Overall, SWASH reproduced heights over lee mound reasonable accuracy. However, tuning breaking parameters (α β) necessary accurately simulate onset persistence process. The results both modelling highlight importance sand shape disrupting field, resulting breakpoint variability mound's lee, which could potentially create more favorable surfing conditions.