Author(s): Hiruni Kammanankada; Jasmin Martino; Stefan Felder

Linked Author(s): Stefan Felder, Hiruni Kammanankada

Keywords: Upstream fish passage field tests Tube Fishway native Australian fish

Abstract: Freshwater fish populations are collapsing, in part due to hydraulic structures disrupting the migratory movements of fish. Fishways aim to restore riverine connectivity by providing upstream and downstream fish passage over dams and weirs. However, fishway implementation has been sparse and has had mixed levels of success, particularly in Australia. The Tube Fishway was designed to provide upstream fish passage through pipes across low and high head structures. The novel Tube Fishway design has been shown to be successful during laboratory experiments, however it has yet to be fully demonstrated under field conditions. The following contribution describes a staged, interdisciplinary approach that resolved both hydraulic and biological design components to achieve a successful field deployment of the Tube Fishway. Hydraulic testing was performed through mechanical Tube Fishway field trials and biological testing that focused on optimising fish attraction to piped entrances. This research was amalgamated in a final trial that achieved the safe attraction and lifting of native Australian fish in the field. The key lessons learnt from this research are presented to inform future Tube Fishway research and other piped fishway designs.

DOI:

Year: 2025