Were the Port River dolphins affected by the pile driving and construction activity in the Inner Harbour?
Local dolphin experts were engaged to survey the movements and behaviour of the Port River dolphins for six months before and during bridge construction. The survey found that the total number of dolphin sightings during the construction phase increased from sightings before construction. Please note: the months in which the pre-bridge construction data was collected did not directly correlate to the months in which bridge construction commenced. Therefore seasonal variations associated with differing environmental variables may have affected the results of the survey. Best management practices have also been implemented to minimise the potential impact on the Port River dolphins during construction of the road and rail bridges. The comprehensive environmental management systems and controls implemented during construction, particularly the installation of a bubble curtain in the river surrounding the work zone, have proven to be effective in reducing noise and vibration – which presen
