Quantifying sediment export from an urban development site: Heron Park

Executive Summary

This report summarises findings from a research project commissioned by the Sediment Task Force, which is a partnership between Perth Natural Resource Management (NRM), the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions (DBCA) and other government environmental managers and enforcement agencies, leading housing industry groups, local government authorities, and community groups. The Sediment Task Force represents a collaborative approach to develop solutions that prevent sediment run-off, particularly, but not exclusively, from building sites.

This project was established to provide field data that identifies activities producing water-borne sediment, and the conditions under which that sediment is discharged from an urban development site, where land is being subdivided, landscaped, and roads and houses constructed. This project specifically aimed to:
• Explore approaches and test methodologies for quantifying sediment export in urban drains;
• Quantify sediment export from an exemplar urban development site, across both storm event and baseflow (non-storm) conditions; and
• Recommend appropriate measures for reducing sediment export in future development activities.