Native fish in the MacIntyre River will soon be swimming further downstream and upstream thanks to work now underway to remove a concrete structure that is blocking fish migration, helping to reinstate waterways that allow fish to flourish.
“The removal of Holdfast Crossing will reinstate more than 64km of fish passage along the iconic MacIntyre River in the northern Murray-Darling Basin which is not only a win for aquatic wildlife but also for agriculture and local communities.” said NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Director – Infrastructure Projects, Andrew Lavelle.
“This is an important first step in our program of works and it’s great to see us putting early runs on the board linking up our waterways because it will result in better river flows which means improved water security in the long term.”
The Fish Passage: Reconnecting the Northern Basin project, funded up to $56.8 million by the Australian Government under the Northern Basin Toolkit and being delivered by the NSW Government, aims to create more than 450km of water ‘highways’ to improve ecological outcomes by promoting native fish migration, breeding and the completion of key life stages.
Holdfast Crossing, which is located on a private farm approximately 14km north of Yetman in the Inverell Shire, is a concrete crossing sitting in the river that is preventing fish passage, which is why the NSW Government is removing it.
“We need to ensure fish can move through our rivers while there’s plenty of water in the system because we know in a changing climate, with unpredictable rainfall, those opportunities can literally dry up.” said Mr Lavelle.
“Restoring connectivity is at the heart of this program. Removing barriers will increase the movement of water through the system and boost the health of our rivers.”
We have consulted closely with Council and the landholder for over 12 months to enable the works and thank them for their support and cooperation. This work is expected to be completed in August, depending on weather conditions.
Removing impediments in the river will also improve connectivity across the northern basin enabling water to flow more effectively through the system which will have huge benefits for water users.
To learn more about the project, visit: https://water.dpie.nsw.gov.au/our-work/water-infrastructure-nsw/northern-basin-projects/northern-basin-toolkit/fish-passage-reconnecting-the-northern-basin-project
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