Irrigation training opportunities offered

Published date24 May 2023
Publication titleCentral Rural Life
Fish screen design

Expressions of interest are being sought for a one-day workshop on fish screen design early next month.

The workshop is being run in partnership with Engineering New Zealand. It will introduce information about freshwater fish and their behaviour, consenting and planning requirements, and good practice in the design of fish screens.

River intakes need a variety of functions including flow control, flood protection, management of sediment and debris, safety of river users and operators, and social and cultural needs. A fish screen must be integrated within the overall design of an intake so an understanding of the interactions between these functions is a key part of the design process.

The workshop will provide information related to the design process and review some existing examples of fish screens. Using the information and examples, participants will then work through real examples from sites that need either a new fish screen or an existing screen replaced.

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

understand the key requirements of a fish screen for different species and life stages of fish;

understand the processes of design of a fish screen and how to integrate it within other functions at a river intake;

be aware of which areas will require input and advice from other experts.

This course is suitable for those who work in the area of freshwater management — engineers, consultants, regulatory authorities or stakeholder groups interested in protection of freshwater fish.

Tutor Paul Morgan from Riley Consultants has more than 25 years’ experience as an engineer in New Zealand and British hydro power, irrigation, river, and river intake projects. In the last 15 years he has worked on fish screen projects and has been on study tours to the United States and Australia, attended international conferences related to fish, and attended many fish screen webinars. He is the only engineering consultant on the Fish Screen Working Group based in Canterbury and has worked on more than 50 fish screen sites including assessment of screens, consenting, design, construction, and operation of fish screens.

The guest speaker will be a Niwa freshwater fisheries scientist who has been involved with fish screen guidelines and scientific study as part of the SFFF Adoption of Good Practice Fish Screening project in the past three years.

Should there be enough interest in the workshop, a pilot course will take place in Canterbury in early...

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