Congratulations to Hydro Tasmania on its initiative to assist the migration of the short-finned eel and helping to maintain the biodiversity of our river systems.
Hydro Tasmania is the country’s biggest water manager and protecting these diverse river systems is important to the integrity of our waterways.
To celebrate World Nature Conservation Day, Hydro Tasmania today opened a downstream eel bypass system at Trevallyn Dam to assist the eels’ migration to the ocean where they spawn in the Coral Sea, near New Caledonia.
This is the first time in Australia that a dam has been fitted with a downstream bypass. Previously the eels needed to wait for a significant flood event and for the dam to spill or to pass through the dam intake to start their migratory journey.
This downstream bypass complements an eel ladder that was built back in the 1990s which allows the juvenile eels, returning from the Coral Sea, to climb back up the dam and into the South Esk River system where they can live for several decades.
The eels migrate downstream between December and April each year and visitors to the Trevallyn Reserve and the dam viewing area will be able to see the bypass in operation with a small cascade of water.
Although short-finned eels are not endangered in Australia, they are listed as threatened in the Northern Hemisphere, so this sort of innovation from Hydro Tasmania is a great example of environmental best practice.
More Media Releases from Guy Barnett
More Media Releases from the Minister for Primary Industries and Water