Brochure River Murray Barrages and Fishways
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and 50% virgin oxygen-bleached pulp from sustainable plantations. Design, content, management and uncredited photography by Ecocreative. photography by Ecocreative. sustainable plantations. Design, content, management and uncredited and 50% virgin oxygen-bleached pulp from This publication is printed with vegetable-based inks by a printer an accr The Coorong, A BETTER CHANCE FOR NATIVE FISH LAMPREYS MULLOWAY Lower Lakes & Barrages Many of native fish species frequent the estuary and Lower Lakes. A few are BARRAGES AT A GLANCE profiled below to highlight the benefits of fishways and improved barrage Mulloway Grow to 200 cm long, Goolwa, Mundoo, Boundary Creek, Ewe Island and operation. Scientists are still learning about native fish; the installation of but are commonly Tauwitchere barrages separate fresh and salt water monitoring traps at the fishways will provide opportunities to study the caught from beaches environments of the Lower Lakes and the Coorong. The breeding and migration patterns of many species. Lampreys at sizes between 75 barrages are operated by SA Water on behalf of the Murray- Grow to 60 cm long. and 150 cm. Darling Basin Commission. © Gunther Schmida © Rudie H Kuiter Two trial fishways operate at Goolwa Barrage and Tauwitchere COMMON GALAXIAS CONGOLLI The bizarre life cycle of pouched lamprey Mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) is an Barrage. More fishway installations are expected following the edited environmental management system. The paper used is 50% recycled fibre (15% post consumer and 35% pre-consumer waste) (15% post consumer and 35% pre-consumer fibre management system. The paper used is 50% recycled edited environmental trial phase. (Geotria australis) and short-headed lamprey important fish for the local commercial fishing (Mordacia mordax) marks them as one of the industry and a prized catch for recreational Barrage Length Bays Gates curiosities of the fish world. anglers. Goolwa* 632 m 128 123 stop-log Mundoo 792 m 26 26 stop-log† Common galaxias Congolli Larval lampreys are spawned in fresh water and Adult mulloway in spawning condition Grow to 25 cm long, Grow to 36 cm long, THE RIVER MURRAY Boundary Creek 244 m 6 6 stop-log but are commonly but are commonly burrow into fine silt where they feed on small gather in the surf zone adjacent to the Murray Ewe Island 2270 m 111 50 stop-log, 61 radial° between 6 and 9 cm. between 10 to 15 cm. algae. In the spring of their fourth year, juvenile Mouth between October and December each © Gunther Schmida © Gunther Schmida Tauwitchere* 3658 m 322 130 stop-log, 192 radial° individuals migrate from freshwater spawning year. Based on overseas studies, mulloway are * Barrage features lock and fishways. Common galaxias (Galaxias maculatus) reside in Congolli (Pseudaphritis urvillii) reside in grounds to the sea. Whilst living in the sea, thought to spawn in this zone around this BARRAGES & FISHWAYS † A vertical axis spindle gate is being trialled as the first of several the lower reaches of many coastal rivers. They the Lower Lakes and estuarine section of lampreys attach themselves to other fish using period. Soon after spawning, juvenile mulloway which will replace some of the stop-logs. This will dramatically simplify and speed up barrage operation. can usually be found in waterways with plenty of the Coorong just inside the Murray Mouth. their modified mouth and feed on the host’s are believed to move into the Coorong and use ° 10 of the radial gates at Tauwitchere Barrage are remotely aquatic and fringing vegetation. Congolli are diadromous. This means they move body tissues. this and the adjacent near-shore environment operated and there are plans for 10 more at this location. A further between fresh and salt water environments. as nursery habitat for the next two to five years. 10 automated gates will be installed at Ewe Island Barrage. Although they can complete their life cycle After several years, lampreys return to fresh wholly in fresh water, common galaxias normally Small numbers of congolli are believed to still water as young premature adults, climbing small Freshwater flows establish estuarine conditions MAP LEGEND migrate between the fresh water and estuary to move between the freshwater lakes and estuary obstacles using their mouth as a sucker. Once in the Coorong. This provides juvenile Salt water environments (ocean and estuary) spawn. Juveniles spend their early months in to spawn via small channels on Mundoo and they have developed into sexually mature adults, mulloway with their preferred habitat. The the estuary before moving back into the Lower Hindmarsh islands. lampreys stop feeding, spawn in fresh water and decline in local annual catches of mulloway Fresh water (watercourses and lakes) die soon afterwards. following the construction of the barrages Lakes. The fishways will significantly improve prospects National parks and reserves is thought to be the result of a reduction in Fishways, especially the rock ramp at for congolli and other fish that previously had The long journey of the lamprey between fresh 2005 Aboriginal lands (Ngarrindjeri) estuarine conditions. Tauwitchere, now make this process much easier. difficulty moving between the salt and fresh and saltwater environments—and back again— Barrages waters of the Coorong and Lower Lakes. will be easier with the fish passage improvements Operation of the fishways and establishment The return of environmental flows to the River Murray, more flexible Watercourses of the Sea to Hume Dam project (see below). of an environmental flow to the Coorong may Townships improve mulloway stocks in this area. operation of the barrages and the installation of fishways will improve ecological health for the Coorong and the Lower Lakes. For the latest information on the fishways project, visit www.sardi.sa.gov.au and search for ‘barrages’ from the home page. Project partners FIND OUT MORE THE NATIVE FISH STRATEGY Several organisations have worked together to The goal of the Murray-Darling Basin migration, including the barrages and locks and ensure the best environmental outcomes of barrage Murray-Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) The Living Murray initiative Department of Water, Land and SA Water Commission’s Native Fish Strategy is to weirs along the Murray’s length. In recognition operation and the use of fishways. www.mdbc.gov.au Tel (02) 6279 0100 www.thelivingmurray.mdbc.gov.au Biodiversity Conservation (DWLBC) www.sawater.com.au rehabilitate native fish communities after of this, the $25 million Sea to Hume Dam project The Murray-Darling Basin Commission has funded www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au 50 years of implementation. is under way. This project, the largest of its kind the fishways and barrage improvements Visit for in-depth information on the Native Fish The Living Murray website explores what constitutes Visit to learn more about water conservation, SA Water operates and maintains the barrages Flow regulation, including the construction in the world, will provide fish passage for 2275 Strategy, fishways, environmental flows and a broad a healthy working river and what is needed to The River Murray section of this website provides water quality, water levels at monitoring kilometres upstream from the Murray Mouth. the Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity range of other issues related to the health and achieve it. Visit to learn more about the initiative further detail and data on river operations, salinity, points (including the barrages) and for of dams and weirs, is noted in the Native Fish Conservation (SA) coordinates environmental productivity of the Murray-Darling Basin. and its progress. water quality, and environmental flows. historical information on the River Murray. Strategy as one of the key threats to native fish Part of this program includes construction and The Native Fish monitoring and adaptive management across the Murray-Darling Basin. Recent surveys monitoring of barrage fishways. Strategy is available fishways are monitored by multi-state team have identified around 5000 barriers to fish for download from involving SARDI (SA), Department of Primary The Murray-Darling Basin Commission thanks the following people and organisations for their contributions to this publication: Jason Higham (PIRSA); Russell Seaman and David Thompson (DEH); Peter Lewis (SA Water); Qifeng Ye (SARDI); Jacqui Symonds and Brenton Erdman (DWLBC). www.mdbc.gov.au Industries (NSW) and Arthur Rylah Institute (Vic). © Environmental Information, DEH SA © Environmental © Russell Seaman, DEH Ecocreative © Thomas Brown, SA Water © Ross Carter, SA Water © Ross Foster, © State Library of South Australia Ecocreative © M Wright-Simon, Murray Mouth congestion is the result of reduced flows The Coorong and Lower Lakes Estuaries provide protected nursery There has been very little flow The vertical slot and Denil fishways of the Goolwa Preliminary plans for barrages were The remote operation of gates at from the river to the sea. Closure of the mouth would are important to the continued areas for fish species. Environmental through the barrages since Barrage are just beyond the lock and navigable pass for prepared as early as the 1890s. Work Tauwitchere Barrage enables more result in damage to the Coorong ecosystem. survival of many waders and flows are vital to maintaining fish December 2001. Without adequate boats (clearly visible in the centre of the barrage). began around 40 years later when flexible management of available other wetland birds. populations and the viability of the flows, dredging maintains the link increasing salinity threatened irrigated flows. local fishing industry. to the sea. areas as far upstream as Mannum. THE COORONG & The Coorong and the Lower Lakes are listed as THE RIVER What the barrages do Lake operation for ecological benefits a Wetland of International Importance under Prevent sea water entering the lakes and river. The Lower Lakes management strategy will THE LOWER LAKES the Ramsar Convention, a treaty that obligates MURRAY BARRAGES Maintain the lake height above sea level. This consider more varied water levels and releases governments to protect and manage the area raises river levels by up to half a metre all the of water for longer periods.