Stroud Weir cone fishway

Stroud Weir on the Karuah River was built in 1900 as a town water supply dam. Now managed by MidCoast Council, the weir continues to serve this purpose. Previously a barrier to fish passage at low and medium flows, a full-width natural rock ramp fishway was constructed at the weir in 2009 and improved upstream fish passage opportunities. Unfortunately, over time with the impact of flooding flows, some of the natural rock in the fishway has moved and now the fishway is outside of design specifications.

Under the Marine Estate Management Strategy's "Reconnecting fish habitats" project, and in conjunction with MidCoast Council, concept and detailed designs were developed to replace the poorly functioning low flow channel area of the fishway with prefabricated concrete cone baffles. Unlike the existing natural rock ramp fishway, these baffles are all a consistent shape and size, therefore the water characteristics within the fishway will be consistent along its entire length and fish passage past the weir will be improved.

The NEAP Program funded construction of this fishway to help improve resilience of fish populations within the Karuah River. Works were completed late 2025.

Concrete fishway baffle ridge elements were "slotted" into the low flow channel of the original fishway. These elements control water movement through the fishway provide improved conditions in the fishway in place in the fishway prior to water being let through the fishway. A debris boom was installed at the upstream end to prevent logs and other material entering the fishway. The high flow rock was also reworked to improve fish passage at higher flows.

The environmental assessment and approval for this project can be found here: Review of Environmental Factors (REF) (PDF, 3145.09 KB) and Decision Statement (approval) (PDF, 3145.09 KB).