Collaboration with Local Land Services
Partnerships with Hunter Local Land Services
Head cut erosion
Subsequently, landowners from these properties sought advice from Hunter Local Land Services (HLLS) who commissioned a Geomorphic Assessment from NSW Soil Conservation Services. The area from the confluence of North and South Arm to the end reaches of South Arm was surveyed and recommendations given.
These recommendations formed the basis of all future riparian restoration work carried out in the valley.
Promote a wider riparian zone though vegetation recovery and revegetation & reduce slashing
Remove weed species to encourage native species growth.
After the devastating fires of 2019 and the subsequent flood event of February 2020 silt from the denuded fire affected hillsides washed onto the valley floor and into the creek. The little remaining creek vegetation wasn’t able to slow or filter the water flow and as a result the levels of the creek changed and significant erosion points emerged. The impact was greatest in the South Arm of Upper Yango Creek.
Further to this Soil Con proposed that bed control structures be built at the site of 2 significant erosion points to stabilise the creek. Work on these 2 sites was to be funded by HLLS and work carried out by Soil Con. The construction of both bedrocks was completed in April 2022 and with the use of BLERF funds and advice from HLLS on species choice planting began in order to support the stabilisation of the creek banks.
In July 2022, just two and a half months after the work was completed the devastating floods that hit the East Coast washed away a section of the bedrock control on Site 1 and the erosion that had occurred in the South arm worsened whilst the rest of the creek area through out the valley was significantly affected.
Once again HLLS under the leadership of Glenn Lyons returned to the valley, remediation work was carried out on the first bedrock site and assessment of damage throughout the valley was carried out. The advice from Glenn and his team was able to be implemented with the support of the BLERF funding. Planting, planting planting…..
It was as a result of this work and the relationship that we had developed with Glenn and his team that a Riparian Management Guide for Upper Yango Valley was drawn up and published.
Work continues in the riparian areas of Upper Yango Creek with a significant number of landowners engaging with some or all of the guide’s recommendations. It is a plan in progress.
VIDEO: Jan Gillespie talks about the HLLS work on the head cut work to restore the creek
The team from Hunter Local Land Services & NSW Soil Conservation Services describe the work they undertook to remediate two substantial head cuts in the South Arm of Upper Yango Creek.