Dredging, extraction and spoil disposal
The removal and placement of material below high water mark can have significant impacts on the coast, ranging from effects on water quality and sediment supply to navigational issues. The range of impacts is thoroughly assessed when proposals to access quarry material are submitted.
Most quarry material below high water mark is owned by the State. Anyone wishing to remove that material must obtain permission to access that resource. The placement of foreign material such as dredge spoil on State owned land is also assessed.
The removal of quarry material from State coastal land below high water mark in a coastal management district is regulated by means of either a resource allocation or a dredge management plan. Both these approaches apply to the removal of quarry material, which can occur as part of:
- extractive industry dredging (e.g. for sand, gravel);
- capital dredging associated with some form of tidal works (e.g. excavation of marina basin, dredging of a new navigation channel); or
- maintenance dredging.
For specific information on each activity, access the links below:
- Access channels
- Blasting
- Dredging works
- Flood mitigation works
- Rock removal
- Spoil disposal and sea dumping
Last updated 2 February 2012