The Burnett River experienced severe flooding in early 2011 and 2013, with the latter flood breaking historical records. Bank erosion from these floods caused considerable damage to ecological assets, infrastructure and the loss of agricultural land. The Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) commissioned Cardno ENTRIX to determining cost-effective flood recovery strategies to protect riparian assets and assess the relative contributions of bank sediment, particularly fine-grained material, to overall sediment loads in the Burnett River catchment and implications for sediment export to the Great Barrier Reef.

Empirical and modelling analysis revealed that a total of about 27.8 million m³ (47.3 Mt) eroded from the banks of the lower 300 km of the Burnett River main channel between 2009 and 2013. Assuming 100 years of simulation, a conservative value for the average, annual rate of bank erosion is 2.0 Mt/y, and this does not include tributary contributions.

This paper outlines BMRG’s adoption of cost effective measures to stabilise riparian areas. The design and implementation of works involved the use of stream geomorphic processes, bank stability and soil measurements, river flow dynamics and modelling tools to determine effective revegetation, engineering and land management solutions. Community partnerships, especially the involvement of landholders, asset management authorities (mainly State Government) and community groups, were essential for the implementation of stabilisation works, improved riparian management,  and hopefully to reduce future effects of flood erosion.