Catchments & Creeks

“FISH PASSAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR WATERWAY CROSSING – ENGINEERING GUIDELINES”

  In December 2002 Catchments & Creeks Pty Ltd released the publication “Fish Passage Requirements for Waterway Crossings – Engineering Guidelines”.  The guidelines were written in association with the development of the new National guideline “Why do fish need to cross the road? – Fish Passage Requirements for Waterway Crossings”  by Fairfull, S. and Witheridge, G. (2003). 

The engineering guidelines were written by Grant Witheridge, Director of Catchments & Creeks Pty Ltd.  Grant is the principal author of numerous engineering publications including guidelines on Natural Channel Design, Creek Erosion, In-stream Sediment Control, and Erosion & Sediment Control.  This new fish passage document was developed to allow engineers and scientists to better apply fish-friendly aspects to the design of waterway crossings such as bridges and culverts.  The document does NOT address issues associated with dams, locks and weirs.

 PRINTABLE ORDER FORM                

Features of the CD-ROM include:

v      Copy of the Engineering Guidelines with over 100 photos included.

v      Separate copy of the Engineering Guidelines with photos removed to allow quicker accessing of technical information on a day-to-day basis.

v      A PowerPoint-based training course on how to use the CD-ROM.

v      A PowerPoint-based training course on the design of fish-friendly waterway crossings.

v      A PowerPoint-based training course on aspects of culvert design.

v      Easy-to-use Microsoft Internet Explorer navigation features.

The Engineering Guidelines include:

v      Guidelines on the planning, design, construction and maintenance of fish-friendly waterway crossings.

v      Detailed design guidelines on those aspects of waterway culverts that may influence fish passage.

v      Guidelines on assessing the need for fish passage at a proposed waterway crossing.

v      Discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of various culvert sectional shapes (ie. pipe or box units).

v      Guidelines on the selection of the preferred culvert bed treatment for various stream conditions (ie. clay-based, sand-based or gravel-based waterways).

v      Hydraulic design parameters for partially buried box and pipe culverts (ie. area, wetted perimeter, hydraulic radius and Manning’s roughness).

v      A new formula for the determination of Manning’s roughness for rock lined channels operating in both shallow and deep water.

v      Procedures for the determination of Manning’s roughness of artificial sidewall roughness units in culverts.

v      Guidelines on the use and design of debris deflector wall for culverts.

v      Guidelines on the use and design of sediment training walls for culverts.

v      Guidelines on the modification of existing non fish-friendly culverts.

Guidelines include detailed appendices on:

v      Introduction to terrestrial passage requirements for waterway crossings.

v      An assessment of past approaches to the design of fish-friendly waterway crossings.

v      Discussion on the design and application of fish-friendly scour protection measures for the stabilisation of bridges and culverts.

v      Introduction to the principles of Natural Channel Design in the modification of waterway channel adjacent to crossings.

v      Introduction to the principles of in-stream sediment control during the construction and maintenance of waterway crossings.

 International Application:

These guidelines were originally set up for Australian conditions, but almost the whole document
is applicable around the world except comments on:

1. Re-vegetation

2. Recommended cross sectional area of culvert
              (as some districts have specific regional requirements which need to be addressed)

3. Some aspects of Natural Channel Design have a strong regional component requiring the use of local guidelines.