Probe into fish deaths
AN INVESTIGATION has been launched into how hundreds of Australian bass were killed after falling down the Hinze Dam spillway this week.
The new spillway – built in 2011 as part of a $395 million redevelopment – was designed not to kill fish.
Seqwater staff said it was the first time water had flowed into the spillway during peak bass migration season.
It was also just the sixth time the dam had overflowed since the redevelopment was completed.
A Seqwater spokesman said rangers had counted the number of fish killed.
He said the fish would be Completed: Cost: Capacity:
Dam wall: collected as water subsides at the spillway before a report on the incident is prepared for the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
“The contributing factors for this occurrence will be investigated by the Seqwater Environment team to determine the cause of death,” he said.
“Due to recent rainfall and associated flows over the Hinze Dam spillway, Seqwater staff have been unable to safely retrieve the fish located within the spillway.
“Once it is safe to do so, an inspection and where possible a clean-up of the dead fish will be undertaken.”
The spokesman said the number of dead fish was a relatively small proportion of the bass which may have survived a fall down the spillway.
He said more than 3300 bass were saved using the dam’s “trap and haul facility”.
“Observations have shown that large numbers of fish migrate upstream during spill events,” he said.
“This recent rainfall event has again demonstrated that it has been a successful investment in improving fish passage along the Nerang River.”