Can a low-gradient vertical-slot fishway provide passage for a lowland river fish community?
Ivor G. Stuart A B E, Brenton P. Zampatti C, Lee J. Baumgartner D A Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Post Office Box 137, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia. B Present address: Kingfisher Research, 20 Chapman Street, Diamond Creek, Vic. 3089, Australia. C Inland Waters Program, SARDI Aquatic Sciences, Post Office Box 120, Henley Beach, SA 5022, Australia. D New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Narrandera Fisheries Centre, Post Office Box 182, Narrandera, NSW 2700, Australia. E Corresponding author. Email: ivor.stuart@gmail.com Abstract Fishways are commonly used to restore native fish movements in regulated rivers. In the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia, 14 fishways are to be built by 2011 to improve passage along 2225 km of the river. The first of these fishways, constructed in 2003, is a vertical-slot design with low water velocities (0.98–1.4 m s–1) and turbulence (average 42 W m–3). This design was selected to provide passage for individuals between 20
