The hydrodynamic regime at John Brewer Reef, Great Barrier Reef: Mooring CM3: Current Meter

An Aanderaa RCM current meter was attached to mooring CM3, which was deployed in 40m of water. Deployment Details:Date Deployed: 3/4/1987Date Recovered: 5/9/1987Instrument Deployed:RCM #6021; Depth: 20m The aim of this project was to collect field data to calibrate a numerical model for the combined tidal and wind-forced circulation at John Brewer Reef, and to apply those circulation patterns to calculate the trajectories, residence times and likelihood of outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish on areas of the reef. The model boundary was defined by CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5 and CM13. However, the current meters attached to moorings CM5 (deployed 2/4/87) and CM13 (deployed 1/4/87) were not recovered. Mooring CM4 (deployed 2/4/87)drifted to the Whitsunday Islands. The current meter was badly fouled and the data were unusable.The transect CM3, CM8 and CM9 was laid to investigate the interaction between John Brewer Reef and Lodestone Reef. These reefs are only 7km apart and by studying both reefs at the same time it was possible to consider inter-reefal recruitment of crown-of-thorns starfish as well as self-seeding. The current meter attached to mooring CM9 (deployed 3/4/87) was not recovered.