AWMA have been shortlisted for the Manufactures' Monthly Endeavor Awards.
AWMA's Fish Exclusion Screens were entered under the category: Environmental Solution of the Year - 'A process or technology that enhances environmental sustainability'.
Whenever water is taken out of rivers, fish and debris are taken out with it. Studies show Australia is losing nearly 100 million fish every year to water extraction systems. Modern fish screens solve this and have been successfully implemented on irrigation diversions and water offtakes, worldwide, for decades.
AWMA’s development of Australian Fish Exclusion Screens was aimed at reducing the number of native fish lost to pump intakes and irrigation gravity diversions, nation-wide. By preventing fish movement out of the natural waterway, fish species are left in their primary habitat to grow and reproduce. Sustainable agriculture was also a critical consideration with the provision for uninterrupted irrigation flows through the fish screen structure, a key design criteria. It was imperative to all stakeholders that screens developed to protect native fish species would not negatively impact water delivery.
The AWMA fish screen solution developed for TNIS, funded by the NSW government’s drought relief initiative, has been viewed by many as the ‘benchmark best practice solution’ for intake screens on pumped river diversions. NSW Fisheries and CSU have undertaken ‘pre-install’ and ‘post-install’ fish studies to evaluate success. It is estimated that these screens will prevent the entrainment of many thousands of native fish at all life cycle stages, at this site alone.
Manager of the Trangie Nevertire Irrigation Scheme, Shane Smith said “The AWMA Self-cleaning Screen Solution designed for the TNIS Pump Station was installed in July 2020. It has allowed us to operate an environmentally sustainable water screening solution that meets NSW Fisheries guidelines to protect fish from entrainment or impingement, along with protecting our pumps from clogging with debris. We can still obtain the pumping flow rates and volumes we require without any negative impact on the river system or the pumps. In fact, these screens have been designed to operate in shallow water, partially submerged with silty conditions under such low velocities that flora, fauna, fish and debris move straight past the intake screens, without any affect whatsoever. Our Scheme Members have noticed cleaner water from the pump station, resulting in better irrigation on-farm due to reduced debris being delivered. Improved water delivery, combined with native fish protection is a win-win for our Members and the environment. We were also impressed that the best available expertise and workmanship for our application was located right here in Australia.”
With greater awareness and further implementation of this innovative technology, the native fish population, not just in the Macquarie River, but the entire Murray-Darling Basin could be significantly improved. A bonus for native fish, recreational anglers, agriculture and the environment.
Winners to be announced in March 2022. Further information to be found at: https://issuu.com/primecreativemedia-2016/docs/mm0921_lr_1_/46
For further information regarding Fish Exclusion Screens visit: https://www.awmawatercontrol.com.au/products/fish-exclusion-screens/
