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Mallen-Cooper, M., J. H. Harris and G. A. Thorncraft (1992). Enhancing upstream passage of fish through a navigation lock on the River Murray. Pages 41-42 in Annual Conference and Workshop: Australian Society for Fish Biology, Victor Harbour, S.A. (Australia), Newsletter of the Australian Society of Fish Biologists.

The potential for using the navigation locks of the River Murray to enhance the passage of migratory fish was examined. The upstream movement of fish through Lock 15 at Euston Weir was monitored during simulated standard operations of the lock and during modified operations. The latter operation used the gates of the lock partially open with a one metre gap and water flowing through this gap at 0.5 m/s. Fish movement was measured during three replicates of each type of operation. The modified operation of the lock led to a marked increase in fish passage. Thirteen fish moved upstream through the lock during three standard operations, and 601 fish moved through the lock during the three modified operations. Native fish constituted 90% of the catch. Using the navigation locks to pass migratory fish is valuable for enhancing fish passage in the River Murray but not a substitute for new fishways. Because the entrances of the locks are downstream of the face of the weir they can never act as highly efficient fishways. Nevertheless, the simple modifications to standard lock-operating procedures can provide a worthwhile adjunct to fishways in meeting the migration requirements of the River Murray native fish fauna. This study was funded by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, which has since agreed to modify the operating procedures of the locks under its control.