The CSU award nomination states:
Australia's rivers support native wildlife, farming communities and a food and fibre industry worth billions of dollars. But every year, millions of native fish are drawn into irrigation pumps and water diversion channels, threatening already depleted fish populations.
Charles Sturt University helped develop fish-protection screens designed specifically for Australian rivers, native fish species and irrigation systems.
Working with government, industry and farming communities, researchers demonstrated that the screens can reduce fish losses by more than 90 per cent while also improving water quality and reducing debris entering irrigation systems.
Today, 45 sites across New South Wales protect an estimated 1.48 million native fish each year, with the potential to safeguard millions more.
By proving that healthy rivers and productive agriculture can go hand in hand, this Australian innovation is helping secure a better future for both regional communities and native wildlife.
AWMA Water Control Solutions has partnered with Charles Sturt University for more than a decade to develop and test fish-protection screen technology for Australian conditions.
Together with NSW Government researchers, we have invested in purpose-built research facilities at Cohuna and Charles Sturt University to test screen designs across Australian fish species and life stages. That partnership helped develop the first standardised design criteria for fish-protection screens in Australia.
For AWMA, the partnership with Charles Sturt has been enormously valuable. Having rigorous, independent science behind the technology gives industry and water users confidence that the screens we design, manufacture and install will protect native fish while continuing to reliably deliver the water farmers and communities need.
The partnership has also created significant opportunities for Australian manufacturing and innovation.
What started as research into an Australian environmental problem has contributed to projects across Australia and opportunities for AWMA in New Zealand and Southeast Asia.
This is an excellent example of a public-private-academic partnership delivering on ground outcomes.
AWMA is proud of our long association with Charles Sturt and the contribution we have made together to keeping fish in our rivers while delivering better outcomes for farmers and water users.
We wish the Charles Sturt team every success in the Shaping Australia Awards.
Brett Kelly - Managing Director AWMA Water Control Solutions
