Pump-screening equipment, which may prevent the deaths of platypus, turtles and fish, is being trialled in the Gunbower Creek system.
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The trial, run by the North Central Catchment Management Authority, has been welcomed by the Australian Platypus Conservancy.
The Gunbower region hosts the most significant population of platypus in the lower Murray, according to the conservancy.
Landholders in the region have reported seeing the remains of platypus that have been sucked into the irrigation pumps.
“We’ve been campaigning for action on this for some time,” conservancy biologist Geoff Williams told Country News.
“We don’t know how many platypus have died this way, but we have seen photos of the remains.”
Platypus at Gunbower. Photo: Nicholas Rowlands
Photo by
Nicholas Rowlands
Irrigators are being invited to express their interest in the new pump screen, which will prevent the destruction of wildlife and weed clogging.
North Central CMA project officer Will Honybun said fish movement into channels and through pumps was one of the key factors behind the decline of native fish numbers in Gunbower Creek.
“Early observations have shown about 13 native fish are lost for every megalitre pumped,” Mr Honybun said.
“If we apply that across the Torrumbarry Irrigation Area it means huge numbers of native fish are being lost out of the system, with most killed in pumps.
“It’s not just fish either; yabbies, platypus, turtles and water rats can all be impacted as well.
“We recently installed two types of self-cleaning pump screens on Gunbower Creek through a pilot project to understand what difference they can make.”
The pumps also have a significant benefit to farmers, stopping weeds from collecting around the intake and disrupting pumping.
“The screens are cleaned as they operate, which means they stop everything, including weeds, and pumping isn’t interrupted,” Mr Honybun said.
“There’s no back flushing required or re-priming of pumps. There’s also less wear and tear and stress on both the intake pipe and the pump, which can reduce operation and maintenance costs significantly over the life of the screen.
“At one site, early trials have resulted in increased pumping rates from about 12ML to almost 15ML a day.
“That means it’s quicker to irrigate bays, and there are lower power costs to achieve the same volume out on the farm.”
North Central CMA is holding a field event to showcase the screens on May 15, and is inviting interested irrigators to attend.
“The aim is to roll these screens out across the Torrumbarry Irrigation Area, but we need to gauge interest first,” Mr Honybun said.
“We’re asking farmers to register their interest with us to come along and see the screens in action, talk to one of the farmers involved, and get information from the manufacturers.
“If enough people express interest on the day, we can put forward a business case to government to subsidise them across the region.
Phone the North Central CMA on (03) 5448 7124 by Thursday, May 11, to find out location details and to register your attendance.
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