| Fish passage
Construction of the Open Stone Asphalt eel passage at Skeffling Pumping Station on the Humber Estuary - Courtesy of Hesselberg Erosion Protection
TMS Maritime was appointed to tackle this construction and water management challenge. The team installed temporary measures to limit the flow of water into the primary construction areas, which then allowed them to build a Larinier fish pass from reinforced concrete, sited off-line from the main water channel. It was also fitted with a herringbone-shaped baffle bed less prone to blocking than other designs. Once built, the structure was faced with stone
reclaimed from the site to preserve the setting and reduce embodied carbon. The project won the ICE South West Engineering Award 2022.
Keeping supply live at North Bridge
Pumping Station On the River Exe, South West Water’s North Bridge Pumping Station needed its ageing eel screens replaced with modern, environmentally compliant mechanical screens, without interrupting the community’s water supply. TMS Maritime, appointed by Fishtek Consulting, combined dive surveys, bespoke fabrication and carefully sequenced crane operations to remove and replace the screens. “With two live water lanes, we could phase our work
to keep one lane running at all times,” said Richard Taffs, Head of Subsea and Access Solutions for TMS Maritime. “This ensured there was no supply disruption, and our temporary diversion lane meant any fish and eels were safely extracted and returned during the works, too.” Delivered on time and safely, the project
strengthened TMS’s partnership with Fishtek and led directly to further intake work at Lopwell Dam.
Precision engineering for intake
screening at Lopwell Dam At Lopwell Dam, the project had very similar requirements. But the site’s restricted layout meant precision was the focus for delivery. Replacing old fish screens with new ones required a frame that had to be installed underwater inside an existing structure to tolerances of just 5mm. Key work included a custom datum bar for accurate underwater alignment, crane-lift installation of the screens and frame, placement of stilling tube units, and permanent concrete stoplogs upstream of the pumping station – all delivered over a carefully coordinated six-month programme. “At Lopwell as at North Bridge, environmental protection ran through delivery as much as it did the
www.waterpowermagazine.com | September 2026 | 35
end product,” said Richard Taffs, Head of Subsea and Access Solutions for TMS Maritime. “We used temporary fish bunds to sift silts and return small fish to the watercourse, rather than treating fish protection as a separate phase from the main installation.” Delivered on time, within budget and to specification,
the project has since been nominated for an ICE South West Award in recognition of its engineering approach.
Common goals and next steps These four projects solve different problems. Some help
eels move through infrastructure; others keep eels and small fish safely away from it. The underlying approach, however, is the same.
In every case, ecological performance was treated as an essential design requirement, not an add-on. Each project protected the asset’s core function, from tidal defence to continuous supply, within demanding access and environmental constraints. And each depended on close collaboration between ecological specialists and delivery contractors. As more of the UK’s ageing water and flood infrastructure comes up for renewal, these projects show what that work increasingly demands: ecological requirements built into design from the outset, and experienced partner contractors able to deliver them in demanding environments.
https://ancoramarine.com/
European eels rely on access between marine and freshwater habitats, requiring water infrastructure to provide safe passage and protection during migration
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