HAG 2022- Improving fish habitat in the upper Murrumbidgee River
What did this project do?
This project has improved fish habitat quality and connectivity in a shallow, sand affected area of the upper Murrumbidgee River downstream of the Cooma Gorge by constructing consecutive wood structures along the bank which will provide cover, shade and feeding areas benefiting Macquarie perch and fishing species such as trout.
The photos above show the upper Murrumbidgee at the project site which currently lacks instream habitat and edge vegetation.
What is the problem?
The upper Murrumbidgee has historically been a great fishing destination, including for natives such as Macquarie perch (now a protected species) and trout. The Murrumbidgee River near Cooma has historically been considered a blue ribbon trout stream. Further downstream, Murray cod are also found.
However, the upper Murrumbidgee River and its fish species are under threat from a number of factors including woody weed incursion and habitat degradation due to erosion and sedimentation in the catchment. Increased sediment building up in-stream fills up refuge pools and results in long, shallow, warm sandy reaches which provide hostile conditions to native fish and trout but benefit alien species such as European carp. Such problems can be seen in the reach downstream of the Cooma Gorge where riparian habitat has been historically modified through agricultural land-use, instream habitat has been removed and sand is accumulating.
The photos above show native hardwood logs being inserted into the river along the bank which was devoid of any fish habitat under the water.
What is the solution?
Improving habitat both on the edge of the river (with native plantings) as well as in the water (with hardwood timber structures) will help to provide better conditions for native fish as well as recreational fishing species such as trout. These fish require cool shaded water, cover, resting places along the bank as well as native timber in the water where food sources (such as waterbugs) are plentiful.
Thanks to funding from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust (funding by recreational fishing fees) this project installed four hardwood timber log structures along the bank. Logs were placed into areas along the bank which fish would utilise for resting and feeding. As the water flows over the logs, localised scour will occur which will keep logs from being silted up and deepening habitat by removing sand accumulation in those areas.
The river has also benefitted from the control and removal of willows from along its banks. Replacement of native vegetation has occurred along the bank where the habitats were put in and further planting are planned to increase shading in the future.
The photos above show the habitats once installed which will provide cover and habitat for fish as they move along the river in this reach.
Project Partners
This project has been made possible thanks to the support and funding of:
