Located south of Berri (South Australia) and covering more than 9,000ha, the Katarapko Floodplain is of high cultural, ecological and recreational value. The ecological health of Katarapko has been declining due to altered flow regimes, obstructions to fish passage and pest plants and animals.
AWMA was engaged by Fulton Hogan to deliver this project for SA Water on behalf of the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) under the South Australian Riverland Floodplains Integrated Infrastructure Program (SARFIIP), a $155 million investment program funded by the Australian Government through the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and implemented by DEW in partnership with SA Water. Improved water control structures were required at Katarapko to manage flows in accordance with more natural flow regimes.
As part of this project, AWMA designed, manufactured and installed the water control gates on 11 new regulators (two incorporating fishways), within the Katarapko Eckert Creek system. This required Segmented Roller Stoplogs, Sidewinder Gates to facilitate the required fishways and a Combination Gate.
The aluminium Roller Stoplogs were specifically designed to be inserted and removed under flow conditions. One Stoplog per regulator included an integral Sidewinder Gate used to facilitate environmental flows of up to 10 ML/day.
A Self-Engaging Stoplog Lifting Frame was supplied for the insertion and removal of the Stoplogs. A Stoplog Rack was also supplied for storage and transportation.
The Sidewinder is operated from the deck above, via a removable crank handle.
The Combination Gate delivered was similar to those supplied for the award-winning Hattah Lakes Project. Manufactured from marine grade aluminium, the Combination Gate provides overshot and undershot water management capacity, to be manually operated using a portable hydraulic power pack.
