The Comfortable Cod for Cowra project is set to significantly improve fish habitat and water quality in the Lachlan River with benefits for both native species and the local human population.
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Increasing sedimentation in the Lachlan has been filling in the natural holes in the river bed that are key habitat for fish.
The innovative restoration project is now underway to solve the sedimentation problem by placing snags and a rock groyne in the river at Robinson Park
A lack of in stream habitat of debris and drought refugia in this reach of the Lachlan River was identified back in 2016 by a NSW DPI Fisheries Lachlan River habitat mapping report.
“The snags and the rock groyne will create velocity in the river, restoring the natural scouring processes that would have originally created these deep holes,” explained Casey Proctor from Central Tablelands Local Land Services.
The Fish habitat project is a partnership between NSW Fisheries, Central Tablelands Local Lands Services, Cowra Shire council, and the Cowra Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Box gum trees salvaged from the recent road realignment at Darby's Falls were loaded into the river on Wednesday, to recreate the large woody debris that was once prevalent in waterways.
“Native fish and local fishermen will benefit from the improved habitat as cod lay their eggs on large woody debris to breed. Mature cod can lay up to 10,000 eggs each during the breeding season,” Mr Proctor said.
“Each snag will be locked in place using proven methods, with electronic pit tags installed into each tree to monitor any movement during the life of the snag.”
The Bila Galari indigenous land management team has already begun weed control and riparian replanting on the site to further enhance the environment.
“Having the Aboriginal community working on the river is really important given that the obligation of cleaning the river and cleaning the country runs hand in hand with our culture,” Bila Galari chair, George Coe said.
“The removal of exotic deciduous species will ensure sufficient light and oxygen year levels year round to support aquatic life and maintain natural filtration for water quality,” Casey Proctor said.
The sediment has also been causing problems for Cowra Shire Council’s pumps, making extraction of town water supplies difficult particularly during times of low flow.
“We have to regularly clean the pump site of sedimentation at great expense to the rate payers and to aquatic life, so we can pump basic water supplies for the people of Cowra,” Cowra Shire Director of Operations, Dirk Wymer said.
