Brewarrina Weir Fishway

Brewarrina Fishway project was competed in 2012 as part of the Brewarrina to Bourke Demonstration Reach Project. The project was jointly funded by the Western Catchment Management Authority (now Local Land Services), NSW Environmental Trust, Murray Darling Basin Authority, NSW Recreational Fishing Trust and State Water Corporation (now WaterNSW).

Brewarrina Weir, on the Baawan (Barwon) River, is 1.2 m high and originally included a submerged orifice fishway - a northern hemisphere design that was never effective at passing native fish due to its steep gradient, high velocity and lack of natural light. This weir became a significant barrier to fish passage, preventing upstream migration of all fish species except during floods when the weir was submerged.

The objective of this project was to construct a fishway that would provide passage for small and large bodied native fish species throughout high and low flow levels. Through extensive consultation it was determined that a recessed partial-width rock ramp fishway was the most widely accepted design by the community.

The recessed nature of the fishway means it was constructed into the upstream weir pool rather than on the downstream side of the weir. This placement was to protect culturally significant and heritage listed Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps (Ngunnhu).