Fishlift - Tallowa Dam, Shoalhaven River, Kangaroo Valley, NSW - Fish Ladders on Waymarking.com

Trap and transport fishway - Tallowa Dam - Shoalhaven River.

The trap-and-transport type of fishway involves attracting and trapping fish below a barrier and then physically transporting them over the barrier. The initial trapping is commonly done in a short section of pool-type fishway, with the fish usually being transported by road, rail or aerial car. The fishway at Tallowa Dam is the only example of a trap and transport fishway in NSW.

History as to the need for the fishlift.

The problem

Fish migration in the Shoalhaven Catchment has been blocked since the completion of Tallowa Dam in 1976. Migratory fish represent 96% of freshwater fish species occurring in the catchment. Tallowa Dam prevents most species from using over 75% of important habitat within the river channel. Sampling undertaken in 2005, twenty-nine years after the construction of the dam indicated that no migratory fish species that move between fresh and salt water exist naturally above the dam wall except for those that have been stocked (e.g. Australian bass) or those capable of climbing (e.g. some gudgeon species and eels). An initial study undertaken in 1998 identified at least 10 migratory fish species accumulated below the dam. A greater number of species, numbers and size classes of fish were caught immediately downstream of the dam than at any other site in the system. This identified a need to remediate fish passage at Tallowa
Dam to allow these migrating fish access to important upstream habitat.

The solution

The fishlift at Tallowa Dam enables native fish to complete important upstream migrations. The lift is the first of its kind to be built in Australia. Water from the surface of the lake is released into a confined channel at the base of the dam. Fish are attracted to this channel, through a gate and into a hopper. After a specified period of time the gate closes and the hopper is then lifted over the wall and lowered upstream of the dam. Fish are then released from the hopper and are able to resume upstream migrations. There are compartments within the hopper to allow for different sized fish to ensure smaller fish are not eaten by larger fish.

A gated channel installed on the spillway leading to a plunge pool at the base of the spillway allows fish to migrate downstream to the estuary to spawn.

The fishway was completed in 2009.

Source: NSW DPI - Improving fish passage in the Shoalhaven viz (visit link)

I was very fortunate to arrive at Tallowa Dam just as the fishlift began its return journey. I was there to waymark the dam & as I stood on the wall bells started ringing & I was able to watch the entire operation.

Plaques near the wall explain its operation in detail.

River/Waterway: Tallowa Dam on Shoalhaven River

Visit Instructions:
Please share a self-made picture of the Fish Ladder and tell us something about it. Did you see any fishes? You do not have to be in the picture, neither does your GPSr.

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