Bells Creek - Water quality improvements

Bells Creek is an important multi-use drainage corridor conveying primarily urban runoff from parts of Clontarf, Margate and Woody Point.  The creek represents a highly modified waterway stretching from Maine Road/Magnolia Street at the upstream end to the discharge point at Bramble Bay approximately two kilometres to the south.

Water quality improvement projects have been identified across the region in Councils Total Water Cycle Management Plan (TWCMP) as suitable locations to upgrade and include vegetated stormwater quality improvement infrastructure. Such upgrades will meet Councils environmental objectives.

In 2018 MBRC undertook an investigation to identify suitable sites within the catchment of Bells Creek to provide Water Quality Improvements for Bells Creek, Bramble Bay and ultimately Moreton Bay.

The investigation used a Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) decision tool to rank a range of retrofit options identified for the catchment. The MCA considered economic, environmental and social values as well as site suitability for each of the selected retrofit options.

Location

K.R Benson Park, 70 Maine Road, Clontarf 4019  View map

Google Map

Site 1 is located on the portion of Bells Creek that extends between Maine and Duffield Road in MJ Brown Park. It was nominated as a preferred site for the retrofit site for water quality improvement works.  It was proposed that water quality treatment infrastructure including a weir, sedimentation pond and bioretention basin replace a portion of the existing concrete lined channel, approximately 120 metres in length.

It is intended that the establishment of riparian vegetation is integrated with the works and will not only play a key role in facilitating water quality treatment but will increase landscape amenity within this section of the reserve. Furthermore, the proposed native vegetation treatments will also prevent erosion to the creek and basin edges and provide fauna habitat.

This project was completed in 2019 and has since established and is proving to be a great benefit to the local catchment.

Location of works

Map showing location of works for stage one

 

Gallery of completed works

open landscaped parklands
 
River bank with grass and tree
 
Long grass with trees and edge of riverbank
 
landscaped river edge with tree 

Site 5 is located on the portion of Bells Creek that extends between King Street and Bell Street. It has been nominated as a preferred site for the retrofit project for water quality improvement works.

It is proposed that water quality treatment infrastructure including a weir, sedimentation pond to replace a portion of the existing concrete lined channel, approximately 110 metres in length.

It is intended that the establishment of riparian vegetation is integrated with the works and will not only play a key role in facilitating water quality treatment but will increase landscape amenity, prevent erosion to the creek and basin edges and expand habitat corridor linkage within this section of the creek. 

The project proposes to replace the existing concrete drain with a naturalised sediment basin. The basin will consist of a concrete weir to retain freshwater upstream and prevent saltwater intrusion into the vegetated system and will incorporate rock scour protection and maintenance access surrounded by a broader vegetated floodplain. The naturalised basin will create a more self-sustainable system, with improved vegetated edges. Plants within the basin will help capture sediment and nutrients contained within stormwater and provide amenity and habitat value for the area.

The stormwater quality improvement works include:

  • replace concrete drain with a naturalised sediment basin;
  • provide stormwater treatment function;
  • improve the aquatic and terrestrial ecological values of the waterway & park;
  • meet the stormwater pollutant load reduction targets

The expected project outcomes include:

  • improved water quality and biodiversity
  • improved pedestrian connectivity
  • Landscaped parklands with improved visual amenity
  • Low maintenance self-sustaining green infrastructure
  • Improved water quality in Bells Creek 

Location of works

Map showing location of works for stage two

 

Gallery of completed works

open landscaped parklands
 
River bank with grass and tree
 
Long grass with trees and edge of riverbank
 
landscaped river edge with tree 

The Total Water Cycle Management (TWCM) Plan presents the findings from the detailed planning phase in a TWCM planning process for the Moreton Bay Regional Council area. It has been developed in accordance with the TWCM Planning Guideline for South East Queensland, WBD 2010a, in order to satisfy requirements of the Environmental Protection, Water, Policy ,2009.  

Council undertakes land use and infrastructure planning activities to manage development across our rapidly growing region. Council’s Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) is an important part of our planning scheme and identifies and prioritises trunk infrastructure needed to support current and future urban development and growth within the Priority Infrastructure Area (PIA). The PIA is an area that is serviced or intended to be serviced by trunk infrastructure and will accommodate 10 to 15 years of growth.