Underwater noise from pile driving in Moreton Bay, Qld

Abstract

This article presents measurements of underwater pile driving noise recorded during the construction of the duplicate Houghton Highway bridge in western Moreton Bay, Queensland. Moreton Bay is a protected marine park, a World Heritage Site and a Ramsar Wetland, providing habitat for turtles, dugong, sharks, dolphins and whales, some species of which are listed as vulnerable to endangered. Pile driving noise was measured for small and large piles at various locations and ranges.Using an acoustic propagation model, a sound map was computed for Bramble Bay. Sound levels were compared to currently available information on impact thresholds. Ranges greater than those corresponding to impact thresholds were scanned for the absence of dolphins before and during pile driving in line with a monitoring and response plan.