Restoring fish passage and enhancing water management in Toorale National Park and State Conservation Area
Project Details
- Location: over 50 km west of Bourke in far western NSW
- Project value: $11 million
- Client: Department of Planning and Environment – Environment and Heritage Group
Highlights
- Fish passage restored to Warrego River and connected floodplains for over 55 km between Boera Dam and Darling River junction, along with greater flexibility and capacity for water management.
- NSW Public Works helped to get the project back on track, resulting in the project delivered on time and budget.
Restoring fish passage and enhancing water management in Toorale National Park and State Conservation Area
The picturesque Toorale National Park and State Conservation Area is home to vast floodplains extending off the Warrego River and to the junction with the Darling River. The area holds spiritual and cultural significance to the Kurnu-Baakandj people and has a rich pastoral history.
In 2019, NSW Public Works partnered with DPE to help deliver the Toorale Water Infrastructure Project. Ongoing since 2016, the project had been working to reduce the impact of four historical dams built along the Warrego River for agriculture purposes that altered natural river flow patterns and significantly impacted the movement of fish.
“NSW Public Works was recommended for this work by a key NSW state government agency, highlighting our extensive experience and leadership in developing and designing fish passage infrastructure for more than 20 years,” said NSW Public Works Principal Engineer Rivers, Heath Robinson.
NSW Public Works’ initial role was to provide review and advisory services to address fish passage design challenges experienced by DPE at multiple sites that had caused program delays. Success in this role led to NSW Public Works providing an expanded scope of activities, including detailed hydraulic design, 2D river system modelling, selected fish passage design, and construction procurement and project management.
The project delivered a package of four bespoke solutions to address fish passage and restore river connectivity. “The project removed Peebles Dam, built a rock ramp fishway as part of Homestead Dam remediation, developed a nature-like by-pass fishway for Booka Dam and established a vertical slot fishway (designed by others) as part of overshot gate outlet works (designed by others) for Boera Dam,” said Mr Robinson.
Wet commissioning and monitoring of the Homestead Dam fishway by DPI-Fisheries has shown the fishway is performing effectively with consistent hydraulic conditions and observed passage of fish.
“Homestead Dam presented unique design challenges in meeting the specific requirements expressed by both the Aboriginal traditional owners and NSW Fisheries legislation and guidelines. The result at this site has exceeded all parties’ expectations and would not have been possible without the expert input of NSW Public Works,” said Sonya Ardill, Senior Environmental Water Planner, NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
The project won the Outstanding Water Management Project Award at the 2022 River Basin Management Awards on 11 November 2022.
The award recognises the significant contributions of NSW Department of Planning and Environment, NSW Public Works, Alluvium, Toorale Joint Management Committee, the NSW National Park and Wildlife Service, and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) in the planning and design of the structures at Boera and Homestead.
Collaborating with Soil Conversation Services on Peebles Dam removal
The construction removal of Peebles Dam was undertaken by Soil Conservation Services (SCS) in an arrangement with NSW Public Works and local contractors. In early 2022, SCS transitioned to become a part of the Department of Regional NSW and is now under the same umbrella as NSW Public Works, creating synergies and efficiencies. For Toorale, engaging SCS benefited the project by quickly mobilising equipment and fast tracking work on the ground.
