Case Study

Marine Pest Eradication at West Lakes

West Lakes in the western suburbs of Adelaide is a man-made lake used for recreational activities, as well as a rowing course for national rowing competitions.  The lake was closed in early 2003 due to an outbreak of the noxious seaweed ‘Caulerpa Taxifolia’.

The aim of this project was to completely remove this noxious seaweed from West Lakes by reducing the lake’s salinity to a level that the seaweed could not survive.

Maritime Constructions was engaged by PIRSA to work collaboratively with KBR Engineering Consultants to develop practical solutions/methodology to achieve pest eradication.

 

Scope of work

• Build a diesel powered pump station to pump fresh water from River Torrens into West Lakes

• Use floating pump stations with long discharge lines to pump seawater from the bottom of West Lakes into the Port Adelaide river

• Continue to reduce the salinity in West Lakes to a level at which Caulerpa Taxifolia could not survive

 

 

Client Organisation

Department of Primary Industry and Resources South Australia (PIRSA)

 

Safety is our first priority