MEDIA RELEASE

 

Monday, 27 September, 2010

 

 

 

Fishway for Burrum

 

Work is underway to ensure a $3.2million fishway is built on the Burrum River with a local firm currently engaged to prepare the design criteria and concept design.

 

Wide Bay Water  Corporation  Acting CEO Peter Care said: “Our Board has allocated these funds to ensure that construction of the fishway is completed before the end of the 2012/13 financial year.

 

“The first step is of course the planning process and we have engaged GHD to undertake the investigation, planning and concept design of the fishway which will be built on Burrum One Weir.

 

“We are committed to improving the health of our waterways and our Environment Department is working closely with stakeholders to ensure a beneficial outcome for fish stocks and habitats.”

 

The primary benefit of installing a fishway on to Burrum One Weir is the immediate ability of fish to move past the barrier.  It will improve or allow:

·    adult  fish (particularly Australian bass and barramundi that  live in the  freshwater  reaches  of the

Burrum system but move into the saltwater to breed) access to and from spawning habitats

·    the dispersal of juvenile fish to new habitats (including barramundi and mullet)

·    access to feeding habitats

·    the re-colonisation of habitats

·    exploratory movements and habitat selection

·    dispersal of species either upstream or down to maintain genetic fitness within fish communities

·    access to and from refuge areas during droughts or floods

 

Mr Care said WBW had been in comprehensive talks to progress the project.

 

On July 27, WBW met with the Department  of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation to discuss the design process and fishway options. It then held a workshop on August 27 with DEEDI and GHD to refine the design criteria.

 

Mr Care said: “After this meeting we provided additional information, such as historic flow levels over weir one, to GHD to help finalise the design criteria.

 

“In particular the operating range for the fishway needed to be agreed with DEEDI. The level data is being analysed now by GHD and the next discussion with DEEDI is planned for mid October.”

 

Mr Care said that once the design criteria was agreed, GHD would evaluate concepts to meet that criteria and develop design sketches.

 

“Our objective will then be to sign-off on the concept so that GHD can prepare the concept design report followed by detailed design and construction.”

 

 

Media Contact:       Christina Maynes

Phone:                  0448 826 016

Email:                  christinam@widebaywater.qld.gov.au