ENGIN 2002: Project
Selection and Initial Planning
Report
BY GROUP 2C: Aroi Mehu, Scarlett Cranfield-Brooks and Ahemed Almenhali
Team 2C: Student Roles and Work Percentage
Team Student ID Work Team Role Work
Member Percenta Allocated
ge
Scarlett 30462246 33% Supervisor Define
Cranfield- timeline and
Brooks scheduling
Aroi Mehu 30453056 33% Team Leader Gather
information
on the work
area, report
document
format, check
progress
Ahemed 30455701 33% Inter-team Plan
Almenhali communication Powerpoint
and
investigate
area
Other Members
teams
2A Brooke Campbell, Ken Ashley Del Mundo, Eric Porigneaux,
Amaya Sande
2D Jesuyon Alfred, Elzani Redelinghuys
1. Introduction
The Murray River, Australia’s longest and most economically vital river
system, underpins both environmental integrity and agricultural productivity
across southeastern Australia. Key native fish species such as Murray cod
and golden perch rely on upstream and downstream migrations for breeding
and dispersal, highlighting the importance of maintaining hydrological
connectivity throughout the system (Koehn & Crook, 2013; Lintermans,
2007). Alongside ecological needs, water flow regulation is critical, with the
Murray’s highly variable natural flows now managed under long-term policies
such as the Murray–Darling Basin Cap and Sustainable Diversion Limits
(SDLs), which aim to ensure water security while preserving river health
(Erfanifar & Cai, 2018; Murray–Darling Basin Authority, 2012).
Torrumbarry Weir is a central piece of infrastructure within this system,
providing water diversion for irrigation, supporting wetland ecosystems, and
enhancing recreational use (Goulburn–Murray Water, 2025a). As part of a
broader redevelopment project, the Torrumbarry Weir is set to undergo
further upgrades to improve both operational efficiency and environmental
outcomes. A key subproject of this redevelopment is the proposed
construction of an overpass or underpass, which aims to improve access for
light traffic vehicles, enhance visitor safety, and support ongoing
management and monitoring efforts. This subproject holds significant value
in the wider context of the Weir’s future role in integrated river
management, balancing infrastructure needs with ecological resilience and
public engagement.
2.0 Background
The main design project is to design a river weir located at Murray River
located within the local area of Torrumbarry Weir Holiday Park as seen in
Figure 2.1. This current weir requires a new design which will be broken up
into sub-groups and analyzed.
Figure 2.1: Location site of existing weir and site of new development
2.1 Location
Torrumbarry Weir, managed by Goulburn–Murray Water (GMW), plays a
critical role in regional water supply, irrigation, environmental conservation,
and tourism (Goulburn–Murray Water, 2025a). Originally built in 1923 with a
removable steel-trestle structure, subsequent foundation damage led to the
construction of a new concrete and earthwork weir between 1993 and 1996;
the original heritage-listed lock and trestle elements have been preserved
(Goulburn–Murray Water, 2025a; Heritage Victoria, 2025).
Annually, about 500,000 mL of water is diverted through the weir into the
Torrumbarry Irrigation Area, servicing approximately 120,000 ha of farmland
and supporting agriculture valued at around $130 million (Goulburn–Murray
Water, 2025a). In addition, the weir sustains the Kerang Lakes and supports
recreation and tourism via boating, fishing, and an interpretive center
(Goulburn–Murray Water, 2025a). Torrumbarry’s installation of a unique
fishway and carp trap in 1992 facilitates upstream movement of native
species while capturing invasive carp; over 120,000 carp have been
removed, significantly improving ecosystem health (Goulburn–Murray Water,
2025b; Heritage Victoria, 2025).
2.2 Flow Capacity of River and Allowable Flow
The Murray–Darling Basin exhibits highly variable natural flow, largely driven
by its semi-arid climate and inland river characteristics, with low runoff yields
and pronounced inter-annual fluctuations, often resulting in interrupted flows
over long reaches (Walker, Shiel & Cadwallader, 1986; Erfanifar & Cai, 2018).
The basin's total combined mean annual discharge, including rivers like the
Murray and its tributaries is estimated at approximately 22.3 million
megaliters per year.
2.3 Fish species
Several native fish species inhabit the Murray River in Australia, many of
which undertake upstream and downstream migrations as part of their life
cycle. Notably, the iconic Murray cod and golden perch migrate upstream
during spring and early summer to spawn, responding to increased water
flows and warmer temperatures (Koehn & Crook, 2013). Silver perch also
exhibit long-distance upstream migrations, often triggered by flood events
(Lintermans, 2007). Conversely, larval and juvenile stages of many fish
species, including the Australian smelt, drift downstream after hatching,
relying on flow conditions to reach suitable nursery habitats (Koehn et al.,
2008). These migrations are crucial for the survival and reproduction of
these species, making river connectivity and flow regimes essential for their
conservation.
2.4 Population and Traffic Conditions
The Torrumbarry region, where the Torrumbarry Weir Holiday Park is located,
is characterized by a small and stable local population of approximately 300
residents (Riverine Herald, 2022). Traffic in the area is relatively light, with
most visitors comprising holidaymakers, recreational users, and families
arriving in cars, boats, or small trailers to engage in leisure activities such as
fishing, water sports, bushwalking, birdwatching, and relaxing in natural
surroundings (Torrumbarry Weir Holiday Park, n.d.; ParkBooker, n.d.). The
holiday park supports this traffic flow with amenities like boat ramps,
powered and unpowered camping sites, cabins, and on-site facilities that
facilitate access to the Murray River and weir (Torrumbarry Weir Holiday
Park, n.d.; ParkBooker, n.d.).
3. Why select this sub-project?
The two options provided to us as part of the wider development if the
Torrumbarry Weir was between the sluice gate and an overpass/underpass.
As a team decide to chose the overpass/underpass as part of our larger
project to construct a weir on the Murray River as we thought it addressed a
critical aspect of accessibility and connectivity for the surrounding
community. Furthermore, we thought it would present a reasonable
challenge for us as a team to navigate. This option provided the most
practical and efficient solution to address traffic congestion, improve safety
and ensure traffic flow for both pedestrians and human-powered vehicles
such as bikes and scooters and smaller motorized vehicles such as electric
scooters and e-bikes which was in our groups personal area of interest.
During our initial discussions each member contributed ideas and evaluated
the option against factors such as cost, construction, feasibility,
environmental impact and long term effectiveness. Through open
discussions and research we discussed and considered how the construction
would change access routes for local residents and recreational users and
eventually how it would also be beneficial to the wider community as an
effective solution to allowing uninterrupted traffic flow while maintaining the
safety of those accessing the river area. This decision was reach
collaboratively with each team member contributing insights from their own
research and perspective, leading us to agree that this sub-project would
make the overall Murray River Weir Project more functional, sustainable and
beneficial to the region.
To confirm its suitability, we assessed the overpass/underpass against
project specific objectives to evaluate alignment with the broader project
scope- results shown in Table 3.1 below. The outcome 4.65 out of 5 reflects a
strong alignment to broader project objectives.
Table 3.1: Group Sub-Project Assessed Criteria Ranking Chart vs Broader
Aims
Criteria Weigh Assessment Weight Justification
(Project t Rating (1-5) ed
Goals) Score
Intergration 0.25 5 1.25 Allows access for
with Weir and does not
Operations interfere with weir
control structures
Safety 0.3 5 1.5 Creates separation
factor from water for light
traffic, avoiding
potential hazards.
Environmen 0.2 4 0.8 The design will
tal provide minimal
Compatibili destruction to
ty riverbank and river
habitats.
Cost 0.15 4 0.6 Costs will be
Effectivene moderate
ss compared to other
infrastructure
elements within
the project
Maintenace 0.1 5 0.5 The design
and effectively will be
Longevity low maintenance-
aiming for lifespan
over 50 years
Total Score 1.00 4.65 Strongly aligns with
broader project
aims
Gnatt Chart
Task Start date End date Response
Define project Week1 Week1 Aroi
scope
Site Week1 Week1 Ahmed
investigation
Gather Data Week2 Week2 Scarlett
Draft design Week3 Week4 All
Prepare Week4 Week4 Ahmed
PowerPoint
4. Meeting Schedule
Meetings are to be held every week regardless of availability of group
members – aiming for at least one group meeting per week. Also consistent
communication on a daily and weekly basis will be implemented via email
and or Microsoft teams to ensure that we are following our work allocated
schedules.
5. Resources & Software Required
Software: SolidWorks or AutoCAD for design
Hardware: Laptop/PC capable of running CAD software
Data Collection Tools: Measuring tape, water level gauge, flow meter
Other: Internet access, team meeting space
References
Erfanifar, E., & Cai, X. (2018). Hydrology of the Murray–Darling Basin. In
SCIENCE DIRECT (Chapter on basin hydrology). ScienceDirect
Goulburn–Murray Water. (2025a). Torrumbarry Weir. In Murray storages –
Water operations. Retrieved August 2025, from Goulburn–Murray Water
website g-mwater.com.au
Goulburn–Murray Water. (2025b). 120,000 carp and counting. Retrieved
January 16, 2025, from Goulburn–Murray Water website g-mwater.com.au
Heritage Victoria. (2025). Torrumbarry Weir Complex (Heritage Building No.
993). Victorian Heritage Register. vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au
Koehn, J. D., & Crook, D. A. (2013). Movements and migrations of freshwater
fishes in the Murray–Darling Basin. Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 22(2), 292–
306. https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.12040
Koehn, J. D., McKenzie, J. A., O’Mahony, D. J., Nicol, S. J., O’Connor, J. P., &
O’Connor, W. G. (2008). Movements of Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii
peelii) in a regulated river: Implications for management. Marine and
Freshwater Research, 59(8), 725–735. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF08011
Lintermans, M. (2007). Fishes of the Murray–Darling Basin: An introductory
guide. Murray–Darling Basin Commission.
ParkBooker. (n.d.). Breeze Holiday Parks Torrumbarry Weir. Retrieved from
ParkBooker website
Torrumbarry Weir Holiday Park. (n.d.). Facilities & activities. Retrieved from
Torrumbarry Weir Holiday Park website
