BELMONT OUTFALL

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Physical Environment

Landscape

Belmont Beach is part of Nine Mile Beach, which effectively extends from Redhead Point in the north to Blacksmiths Point and Lake Entrance (the entrance to Lake Macquarie) in the south. The beach consists of Quaternary sand deposits (Sydney Geological Series Sheet – SI 56-5). Low sand dunes lie between the beach and the Pacific Highway. The outfall is located about 5km north of the entrance to Lake Macquarie at Swansea.

Bathymetry & Substrate

Not available

Currents, Winds and Waves

Studies by Laurie, Montgomerie and Pettit (1977a, c) indicated:-

- that during years of strong flows in the East Australian Current (EAC) in summer when an inshore counter current between Port Stephens and Jervis Bay is operating, a counter clockwise inshore eddy was likely to be set up between Swansea and Redhead with southerly water movement clear of the surf zone.

- in summer when prolonged easterly winds warp the EAC towards the shore strong southerly flows were hypothesized to occur off headlands like Red Head. Under these conditions a clockwise circulating inshore eddy is set up off Belmont Beach with water flowing north along the beach.

- In winter a slow northerly movement of water past the central coast was hypothesized.

- During periods of slow northerly flow and during periods of low flows in the EAC, local wind was likely to dominate water movement on the central coast.

- During periods of heavy swell, rip currents and longshore drift were hypothesized to override wave circulation patterns in the near shore.

Additional studies reviews by Laxton and Duell 1990, AWACS (1990) and AWACS (1991c).

Outfall Site

Belmont Beach

Belmont

(Belm_5) Last updated May 2000