Fish lift at Tallowa Dam in spotlight

The success of a new fish lift at Tallowa Dam will be the focus of a four-year NSW DPI study.

The DPI aquatic ecosystems unit was recently engaged by the Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA) to undertake the project.

The Tallowa dam is a major obstruction to fish trying to migrate up the Shoalhaven River, and past studies have identified a number of species that are now extinct from upstream reaches.

SCA are constructing a fish lift to allow upstream migrants to return to the weirpool and the study will ensure the fish lift is providing passage for all species and size classes.

The work will involve directly trapping the fishway to assess which species are using the structure, performing surveys within the dam to monitor the recovery of the fish community and also a small study to ensure fish are also able to migrate back downstream and return to the estuary safely.

Email: