The development of fish passage research in a historical context

Fish passage, including fishways and fish screens, ecological flow management for open or ice-covered waters and fish habitat works, such as stream rehabilitation, habitat replacement, erosion and sediment management, are the subject of increased interest worldwide. Research and development in these areas, establishing a foundation of sound science and innovative engineering, has intensified, as a result of widespread recognition of the importance of sustainable and environmentally acceptable use of water resources. Scientific and engineering studies, along with technological advancements have allowed the development of a range of methods and tools for assessing the feasibility of and for providing guidance in seeking effective solutions. Methods and tools range from fairly simple to fairly sophisticated, from long-life rigid structures to adjustable ones, and solutions that are applicable at a variety of projects, scales, site conditions, fish species, aquatic biota, data sources and economic circumstanc...

Developing a toolkit for fish passage, ecological flow management and fish habitat works

The restoration of fish passage has been focused on anadromous fish species, whilst studies accommodating passage of coarse species have often been considered incidental, yet frequently these are the predominant group of species encountered in rivers. In addition, fishway designs depend greatly on the interplay between hydraulics and biomechanics, yet very little data are available on the responses to specific hydraulic settings for these species. This study aims to explore the effects of water velocity and turbulence on the behaviour of a cyprinid species - the Iberian barbel Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864) - particularly their upstream movements upon different discharges (38.5 to 77.0 L · s−1), through an indoor full scale pool-type fishway prototype. Larger adults had a higher passage success (mean = 79%) and took less time (mean ± SD (min): 5.7 ± 1.3) to negotiate the entire six pool fishway, when compared to small adults. Correlation analysis between hydraulic variables and fish transit time yielded different results. Correlations were found to be the highest between the horizontal component of Reynolds shear stress and fish transit time, particularly for smaller size-individuals (r = −0.45; p < 0.001), highlighting this variable as a key-parameter which strongly determines the movements of Iberian barbel. The present study identified key factors on Iberian barbel movements that may have direct application to future fishway designs for this species and for other ‘weak’ swimmers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of water velocity and turbulence on the behaviour of Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei, Steindachner 1864) in an experimental pool-type fishway

The performance of two particular designs of vertical slot fishways for two different slopes was studied in a wide range of discharges. Water depths were measured in almost the whole surface of pools. A linear relation between dimensionless discharge and depth of flow, and the same flow patterns for each design were found. With an acoustic Doppler velocimeter, three-dimensional velocities were measured at several levels in the entire pool to detect the structure of the flow and quantify velocity distribution. Two different regions in flow patterns were found: a direct flow region characterized by maximum velocities; and a recirculation region, defined by low velocities and horizontal eddies. For a given slope, the velocity at any point of the pool (particularly at the slot) may be considered independent of the discharge and constant with the depth. Some suggestions on kinetic turbulent energy are also made.

Experimental Approach to the Hydraulics of Vertical Slot Fishways

We compared two Denil fishways, located on the west (low velocity, 10% slope) and east (high velocity, 20% slope) sides of the Mannheim weir, Grand River, Ontario, for use by upstream-migrating white suckers Catostomus commersoni and smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu. Mark–recapture and radiotelemetry were used to assess attraction and fish passage. Movement of 85 radio-tagged fish was monitored continuously during spring and early summer of 1995 and 1996. Attraction and passage efficiencies of white suckers at the west fishway were approximately 50%, and 55%, respectively. Attraction efficiency of white suckers at the east fishway was approximately 59%, and passage efficiency was 38%. The attraction and passage efficiencies of smallmouth bass at the west fishway were approximately 82% and 36%, respectively. At the east fishway, attraction efficiency of smallmouth bass was approximately 55%, and passage efficiency was 33%. There was an exponential decline in the numbers of both species that us...

Attraction and Passage Efficiency of White Suckers and Smallmouth Bass by Two Denil Fishways

This pape presents the results of an experimental study of the structure of flow in a vertical slot fishway of an effective and simple design. The flow at the slot could be treated as a plane jet, but there are a number of differences from the plane jet. It was found that for a slope of 5%, the main flow travels from one slot to the next through the pool as a 2D curved jet with two recirculation regions—one on each side. For slopes of 10 and 20%, the main flow is 3D. Water flows toward the side wall between the long baffles near the bed and piles up along the side wall; part of the flow rises to the surface and then travels to the outlet. The decay of longitudinal velocity in the pool is much larger than that of the plane jet. The volume averaged velocity head of the water in the pool was found to be ∼12% of Δ\ih, the head drop per pool. The volume of the recirculation region between the short baffles was ∼28% of the volume of the pool for all three slopes and all discharges whereas the corresponding volume of the horizontal eddy just downstream of the long baffles for the two larger slopes was ∼10%. The relative volume of the two recirculation regions was ∼73% for the 5% slope and ∼38% for the 10 and 20% slopes.

Structure of Flow in Vertical Slot Fishway

This paper presents the results of an extensive laboratory study aimed at improving the design of Denil fishways. For the standard design of the simple Denil, an equation has been developed between the dimensionless discharge Q* and the relative depth of flow d/b for d/b as large as 5.5. The normalized velocity distributions in the centerplane of the Denil were found to have certain shapes depending upon the d/b ratio. For the nonstandard designs of the Denil fishway, based on the results of about 660 experiments, a method has been found to predict not only the relation between Q* and d/b but also the normalized velocity profiles in the centerplane of the Denil. The coefficient of friction between the central stream in the Denil and the circulating water on the sides as well as the bottom has been evaluated along with the equivalent Manning's n for the Denil fishway. These results are believed to be important in extending the depth range of the standard Denils as well as making changes to the standard Den...

Denil Fishways of Varying Geometry

This paper presents the results of an exploratory laboratory study on the hydraulics of fish resting pools that are built between two Denil fishways, making a full turn or arranged in a folded-back pattern. These experiments show that the flow from the Denil entering the pool diffuses as a surface jet, with an increased growth rate, possibly because of the circulation and turbulence in the pool. This diffusing jet impinges on the backwall and dives into the pool. The flow formation in the vicinity of the outflowing Denil appears to occur in a relatively small region. The energy dissipation in the pool is significant. To provide some resting areas for fish ascending the multiple Denils, it is necessary to provide some depth below the common invert of the two Denils. Some suggestions have been made for determining the size of these resting pools.

Hydraulics of Resting Pools for Denil Fishways

This paper presents the concept and development of a four-tube probe for the measurement of the three velocity components in 3D flows. The necessary calibration curves have been developed and are presented along with a procedure to use this probe. This probe is more convenient to use than the traditional five-tube probe and is believed to be useful for the measurement of the three components of velocity in 3D flows in the laboratory. It has already been used successfully in the measurement of the velocity field in a vertical slot fishway.

S. Wu

Papers

Structure of Flow in Vertical Slot Fishway

Denil Fishways of Varying Geometry

Hydraulics of Resting Pools for Denil Fishways

Four-tube probe for velocity measurement in 3D flows