To whom it may concern,
I am writing to provide my strongest support validating the technical expertise and knowledge of AWMA Solutions. For over a decade now, CSU, NSW DPI and AWMA have been working closely on innovations that provide the ability to continue productive irrigation extraction while significantly increasing the environmental sustainability of the industry.
The Trangie Nevertire Irrigation Scheme screen is the culmination of a decade long program of work and exemplifies world-best practice.
The Trangie-Nevertire case study is part of a four year project being funded by NSW government. The project is a public-private partnership aimed at boosting native fish stocks by implementing self-cleaning fish screens at irrigation pumps and other diversion points.
The context for this work is that millions of native fish are being sucked into pumps and diverted down channels each year. Conservative estimates suggest this number may be as high as 97 million fish.
AWMA, as a recognised leader in the field, had a vision that well-designed fish protection screens can save aquatic life whilst allowing irrigators to carry on with their business activities.
Screening already occurs in other countries like the USA and New Zealand, but through innovation from AWMA, Australia is now ahead of global competitors as world-first solutions now protect tiny fish eggs and larvae. Something that is rarely achieved worldwide.
The CSU/NSW DPI/AWMA collaborative project has already led to the federal government committing $26m to scaling out the innovations at Trangie-Nevertire as part of the Northern Basin Toolkit initiative.
AWMA has emerged as the Australian leader primed to deliver most of that investment. Being a regional manufacturer, this is important for supporting jobs and irrigation production during this tough global situation.
I have no hesitation in recommending AWMA Solutions and look forward to productive collaborations with them as they pursue Australia-wide scale-out of this innovative technology.
Prof. Lee Baumgartner
Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University
PO Box 789, ALBURY, NSW 2640, Australia
Tel: 0427 070 056
Email: lbaumgartner@nullcsu.edu.au
“It’s working a treat - all is going well and I’m enjoying the time I’m not spending at the pump shed. We are currently running 236 litres / second which is fantastic” – Mike King - Farm Manager.
To date, the TNIS screening project is Australia’s largest showcase of modern pump screening designed for fish protection. AWMA Water solutions worked alongside Natural Resource Management agencies and community groups to be one of the key organizations guiding the project.
The TNIS screening project will significantly benefit 33 farming irrigators, environmental groups, and recreational fishers as well as endangered fish in the region's waterways and could see hundreds of thousands of native fish saved every year.
Should you have any queries in relation to this matter, please contact OzFish Unlimited Chief Executive Officer - Craig Copeland on 0419 185 538 or craigcopeland@nullozfish.org.au.
Yours sincerely,
Braeden Lampard
Program Manager - Murray Darling Basin
Mobile: 0432 656 835
“The AWMA Self-cleaning Screen Solution designed for the TNIS Pump Station was installed in July 2020 and 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.”
Regards,
Shane Smith
Manager
TRANGIE NEVERTIRE IRRIGATION SCHEME
Address: 19 Dandaloo Street, Trangie, NSW, 2823
Postal: PO Box 20, Trangie, NSW, 2823
Phone: 02 6888 7335
Mobile: 0428 887 211
Fax: 02 6888 7484
“The intake screens installed for the Waikato50 site have been performing extremely well over the last 10 months with minimal operations and maintenance input required. They are compliant with the fish and debris exclusion screen regulatory requirements and the self-cleaning function significantly reduces safety critical work and operator attendance on a floating pump station in the river.”
Sven Harlos Programme Manager Waikato R2R at Watercare Services Ltd, New Zealand
Pensar Construction Manager, Jeremy Goodacre comments;
“Pensar choosing to engage with AWMA to undertake design, manufacture, supply and install of a series of actuated water control gates for the Boera Dam Upgrade, provided the Project with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in this area. AWMA’s design and manufacture all completed during Victoria’s Covid-19 lockdown periods were completed professionally and on time, with AWMA providing Pensar constant assurance that works were progressing and being completed to a high standard of quality. This was then proven, during the installation and water trials, in an extremely remote location where the gates fitted the cast insitu structure and operated immediately to meet the maximum operating parameters required by the system. The AWMA Team provided Pensar with exceptional support and highquality workmanship throughout the project to deliver one of the project’s key elements.”
Sustainability is the cornerstone of the Duxton Vineyards culture, as Environmental Manager Dylan Klingbiel explains:
“We irrigate at approximately 120 L/s direct from the Darling River. We rely on this waterway, so it only makes sense that our water extraction systems need to protect the river, protect native fish and protect our pumping infrastructure. Australian rivers are renown for poor water quality, especially the Darling, even more so now, during and following flood events.
In April 2022, we installed AWMA Fish Screens on two of our pumping stations. The screens are self-cleaning, so suddenly, we significantly reduced our need to backflush the system. Early analysis of performance has shown that we will save approximately 15 million litres of water a year (1.3% reduction of total water volume), in reduced water use from what was normally required for backflushing and the subsequent energy savings for not having to pump that water. This translates to a reduction in approximately two tonnes of CO2 equivalents of emissions through the reduction in energy usage. Also, labour savings, prior to installing AWMA Fish Screens, cleaning of field filters was required on a regular basis, now, it’s rarely required at all.
Our key driver was to protect fish and the waterways we rely upon. Now, having proven that fish screens are a ‘win for the environment AND a win for us’ we are in the process of ordering more!”
Upon commissioning, the dry dock operator noted they were “very impressed with the low leakage rate of the newly installed gate,” asset installers, HEB Construction, stated, “the gate was easy to maneuver and dimensionally accurate... great to see awesome workmanship on your product.”
