Four conical fish screens, weighing a total of 28 tonnes, have been installed in the Cohuna Weir pool, Gunbower Creek. Conical fish screens were used because they work well in shallow water and have been proven to protect fish from entrainment and impingement in diversion pools, rivers and channels. The screens will be submerged below the water level to ensure the area remains aesthetically pleasing. The screens have minimal impact on water intake and are self-cleaning to prevent debris build-up.
The aim of this project was to boost native fish populations by preventing fish movement out of the natural waterway into irrigation channels. Each year hundreds of thousands of native fish and larvae are lost from the Gunbower Creek and the Murray River system as fish move into irrigation channels. Once in irrigation channels, the fish are lost to the natural system forever, having a negative impact on breeding and population numbers of native fish. This project was a partnership between North Central Catchment Management Authority & AWMA Water Control Solutions, and was funded by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder.
Watch the video of the fish screens in action…
A snapshot of the installation process…
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