Screens

Modern screens for Walgett and Collarenebri town water

Modern fish-protection screens have been installed at two town water supplies in the Walgett Shire in the northern Murray-Darling Basin. The water offtakes for the communities of Walgett, on the Namoi River, and Collarenebri on the Barwon River, both now benefit from modern screening ...

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Chalk and Cheese: How Fish Screens Changed the Game for Geoff Kirkby on the Barwon

On the edge of the Barwon River in Walgett, northwest New South Wales, irrigator Geoff Kirkby is seeing his operation run smoother, cleaner, and more efficiently than ever before. And the reason, he says, comes down to one major improvement: the installation of a self-cleaning fish screen on ...

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A Win-Win All Around – How Alex White’s Fish Screen is Helping His Business

In Dubbo, on the banks of the Macquarie River, Alex White is running a business that literally depends on water. As the owner of Dubbo Turf Supplies, Alex has seen firsthand how water security, efficiency, and environmental responsibility all go hand-in-hand — and how a simple but innovative ...

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Cotton growers on-board with modern screens

The Cotton Research & Development Corporation has highlighted grower experiences in the Winter 2025 issue of their magazine Spotlight on Cotton R&D. Modern fish-protection screens are transforming irrigation practices by keeping debris and aquatic life safely in the river while ...

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Preparing for change: Jason McCutcheon on why his next step is a modern fish screen

On the banks of the Macquarie River near Trangie, fourth-generation farmer Jason McCutcheon is standing beside his old irrigation pump. It’s out of the water and out of action—for now. But change is coming. Jason’s been farming here his whole life, managing a family-run operation with cotton, ...

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From sceptic to advocate: James Moore’s experience with Fish Screens on the Namoi

In the heart of Walgett, near the tail end of the Namoi River system, irrigator James Moore is part of a growing movement embracing smarter, cleaner irrigation practices. Running a mixed farming operation that includes cotton and winter crops, James knows firsthand the vital role that water ...

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Screening for peace of mind: Jim McKay on modernising irrigation on the Macquarie

On the banks of the Macquarie River, just upstream from Warren and downstream from Dubbo, sits the Tenandra Irrigation Scheme’s Gingim Pump Site. It’s a high-tech setup, managed by Jim McKay, who has seen firsthand how the installation of a fish screen has brought both environmental and ...

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A new best practice: Tom Rayner’s Vision for Fish Screening in New South Wales

Tom Rayner’s talk at the 2024 Australia Fish Biology Society Conference shed crucial light on the strategic approaches necessary for scaling up fish screening initiatives across New South Wales. Emphasising the importance of looking forward strategically, Tom described the journey from initial ...

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Scaling Up Fish Protection: Lessons from New South Wales

Rod Price’s talk at the 2024 Australia Fish Biology Society conference highlighted the remarkable progress in implementing fish screens across New South Wales. His insights shed light on the importance of strategic planning, collaboration, and innovation in creating sustainable solutions that ...

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Modern Fish Screens: Transforming Water Management in Australia

Peter Ebenwaldner’s experience in developing and promoting modern fish screens underscores a crucial aspect of sustainable water management: balancing the needs of irrigators with the protection of aquatic life. During his presentation at the 2024 Australia Fish Biology Society Conference, ...

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Learning After Doing: New Zealand’s Journey with Fish Screens

New Zealand has long been an early adopter of fish screens to protect native fish from water diversions. However, as Mike Hickford explained during his talk at the 2024 Australia Fish Biology Society meeting, the country’s initial approach often missed the mark. By adopting North American ...

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The Case for Modern Fish Screens

Australia’s rivers are home to unique native fish, but these ecosystems face significant challenges from water diversions. As Craig Boys highlighted during his presentation at the 2024 Australia Fish Biology Society Conference, the diversion of river water for agriculture and other uses comes ...

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