The consultation period has now closed for a sand pumping pipeline between Adelaide’s Semaphore South and West Beach, with 100,000 cubic metres of sand in the balance.
The South Australian Government’s $48.4 million Securing the future of our coastline project has been in place since 2019 and looks to make up for 20 years’ worth of sand lost to natural erosion.
The latest development is a planning proposal by the SA Department of Environment and Water to install a 10km sand pumping system from Semaphore South to West Beach, expanding upon previous stretches of the system further south of Adelaide.
To date, two sections of sand pumping system have been constructed, a 7km system between Glenelg and Kingston Park, and a 2km system from the Torrens Outlet dunes to West Beach Parks.
“The Glenelg system has been operating effectively on an annual basis since 2013. The West Beach system was operated successfully from 2013 until 2017, but has not been used in the last four years due to coastal management considerations,” the planning proposal read.
In October, while the planning proposal was open for consultation, project manager James Guy said the key was to remove sand haulage from Adelaide streets.
“We want to get sand carting trucks off of our beaches and restore this important beach which is why we are pushing ahead with the recycling pipeline and delivering sand to West Beach in the meantime,” Guy said.
“We have seen the success of the Glenelg to Kingston Park [pipeline] which pumps around 100,000 cubic metres of sand each year to the southern beaches and has seen the re-establishment of stable, vegetated dune systems.”
The first stages of the Securing the future of our coastline project involved the identification of sand sources, such as quarries and healthier beaches, as well as the design of pipelines such as the Semaphore to West Beach project.
With these tasks accounted for and construction approval now pending, the SA Government is moving closer to putting shovels in the ground to allow for replenished beaches and more enjoyable summers in Adelaide.
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