New structure to help fish cross the road

Native fish, including the threatened Murray cod, now have access to an extra 30 km of waterway thanks to the installation of a fish-friendly road crossing on the Manilla River near Barraba.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) teamed up with the Namoi Catchment Management Authority (CMA), the NSW Environmental Trust and local landholders to replace the structure, which was preventing fish from moving up and down stream.

Funding for the project was provided by the Namoi CMA through the ‘Namoi Aquatic Habitat Initiative’ project and the NSW Environmental Trust’s ‘Restoration and Rehabilitation’ program.

NSW DPI Conservation Manager based at Tamworth, Anthony Townsend, said road crossings could have major impacts on native fish and the health of our rivers.

"They can act as physical barriers that restrict the movement of fish, affecting their ability to breed, find food and seek shelter," he said

"Fish movement at the structure was restricted due to an excessive drop on the downstream side, low water depth, build up of sediment and increased turbulence.

"Our native fish are reasonably lazy when compared to their northern-hemisphere counterparts, with a drop as little as 10 cm stopping some native fish from moving upstream."

Mr Townsend said the installation of fish-friendly box culverts at the site would reduce any downstream drop and increase the water depth through the crossing, leading to improvements in water flow and water quality within the Manilla River.

The works completed at this site will add value to similar fish-friendly works completed at the immediate downstream and upstream structures, improving the benefit to native species such as freshwater catfish, golden perch, and Murray cod, which are all found in the Manilla River. 

Under the ‘Namoi Aquatic Habitat Initiative’, NSW DPI and the Namoi CMA have made a commitment to address priority barriers such as road crossings and weirs throughout the Namoi catchment.

So far, nine structures have been replaced with fish-friendly designs, helping promote the movement of our native fish to over 400 km of aquatic habitat.

"The Namoi Aquatic Habitat Initiative has been a great success in engaging local landholders and councils to help our native fish, and with more sites targeted to become fish-friendly, there’s going to be more fish crossing the road throughout the Namoi catchment," Mr Townsend said.

Photos available from sarahc@sf.nsw.gov.au

Further reading

Fishways

Fish friendly road crossings