Vertical Slot Fishway Research Articles

Design and application of a fish-shaped lateral line probe for flow measurement.

We introduce the lateral line probe (LLP) as a measurement device for natural flows. Hydraulic surveys in rivers and hydraulic structures are currently based on time-averaged velocity measurements using propellers or acoustic Doppler devices. The long-term goal is thus to develop a sensor system, which includes spatial gradients of the flow field along a fish-shaped sensor body. Interpreting the biological relevance of a collection of point velocity measurements is complicated by the fact that fish and other aquatic vertebrates experience the flow field through highly dynamic fluid-body interactions. To collect body-centric flow data, a bioinspired fish-shaped probe is equipped with a lateral line pressure sensing array, which can be applied both in the laboratory and in the field. Our objective is to introduce a new type of measurement device for body-centric data and compare its output to estimates of conventional point-based technologies. We first provide the calibration workflow for laboratory investigations. We then provide a review of two velocity estimation workflows, independent of calibration. Such workflows are required as existing field investigations consist of measurements in environments where calibration is not feasible. The mean difference for uncalibrated LLP velocity estimates from 0 to 50 cm/s under in a closed flow tunnel and open channel flume was within 4 cm/s when compared to conventional measurement techniques. Finally, spatial flow maps in a scale vertical slot fishway are compared for the LLP, direct measurements, and 3D numerical models where it was found that the LLP provided a slight overestimation of the current velocity in the jet and underestimated the velocity in the recirculation zone.

The hydraulics of a vertical slot fishway: A case study on the multi-species Vianney-Legendre fishway in Quebec, Canada

This paper presents an overall assessment of the hydraulics of a vertical slot fishway, the Vianney-Legendre vertical slot fishway on the Richelieu River in Quebec, Canada, which has been shown to be successful for passing a variety of fish species, including lake sturgeon. The fishway has a number of features that combine for a unique design. This includes two turning pools, shorter and narrower than recommended regular pools, and a low overall gradient. Detailed field measurements of the water levels and velocity patterns were obtained and a computational fluid dynamics modeling study was conducted. The model study evaluates the performance of various regular pool geometries based on fishway hydrodynamics. Low overall fishway gradient was shown to result in a fishway hydraulically suitable to fish passage, overcoming non-optimal pool dimensions. The relationship between discharge and corresponding average water depth in the pools, under both uniform and non-uniform flow conditions, using the discharge coefficient enabled us to simulate the distribution of water levels in a vertical slot fishway. Two distinct flow patterns were observed in a regular pool depending on the shape ratios between the pool's length and width. This study also assessed the spatial variation of velocity magnitude in the vertical plane to reveal regions of upwelling, downwelling, and the formation of eddies and dead flow zones that have potential importance for fish migration.

Fishway approach behaviour and passage of three redhorse species (Moxostoma anisurum, M. carinatum, and M. macrolepidotum) in the Richelieu River, Quebec

Fishways are increasingly constructed to maintain longitudinal connectivity for fish in numerous river systems where migrations are interrupted by anthropogenic barriers, although there is a paucity of information on the biological effectiveness of fishways for most species. We evaluated fishway approach behaviour, and quantified attraction and passage efficiency of three catostomid species (silver redhorse Moxostoma anisurum, river redhorse M. carinatum and shorthead redhorse M. macrolepidotum) that undertake annual obligate spawning migrations through the Vianney-Legendre vertical slot fishway at the St. Ours Dam, in the Richelieu River, Quebec, Canada. Use of PIT tagging alone enabled quantification of attraction and passage efficiency and these were; 51, 17 and 50 % for attraction efficiency and passage efficiencies were 88, 50, and 69 % for silver, river, and shorthead redhorse, respectively. Silver redhorse had significantly shorter entrance delay and passage duration times than shorthead redhorse. Attraction efficiency was different among release locations for silver redhorse, and passage efficiency increased with size for shorthead redhorse. For all species, failure to ascend the fishway was most likely to occur before the second turning basin (before the 32 m mark) in the fishway (84 % of failures). Silver redhorse had significantly lower passage failure rates than river and shorthead redhorse. Activity patterns in the three species during fishway passage were different; crepuscular activity patterns were observed in shorthead and river redhorse, whereas silver redhorse activity peaked between 23:00 and 02:00 then decreased through the remainder of the day. To further evaluate fishway approach behaviour we fitted an additional sample of each species with external radio tags, although nearly all radio tagged individuals (n = 119) rapidly moved downstream upon release immediately post-tagging. Subsequently, our results were confounded by the behavioural impairments associated with external radio tagging and fallback. These results demonstrate the value of multispecies fishway evaluations and highlight the variation among individual species fishway performance within a single genus.

A new Eulerian–Lagrangian agent method to model fish paths in a vertical slot fishway

An individual-based model (IBM) to simulate the movement of a single fish through a vertical slot fishway has been developed. The turbulent water flow in the fishway was first obtained using CFD-software. Trajectories of live fish measured by Rodriguez et al. (2011) were superimposed on several different parameters characterizing the flow, such as the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). The correlations between these hydrodynamic parameters and the measured trajectories were examined and TKE was identified as the single most important stimulus. To mimic positive rheotaxis, the mean velocity was adopted as a secondary agent. The new Lagrangian IBM-model was combined with the Eulerian CFD-model to an Eulerian–Lagrangian agent method. This ELAM approach was used to compute the trajectory of a virtual fish. The simulated trajectories were in good agreement with their measured counterparts in the same fishway. Both the preferred direct route and the alternative longer route through an active pool were faithfully reproduced.

Ascent ability of brown trout,Salmo trutta, and two Iberian cyprinids − Iberian barbel,Luciobarbus bocagei, and northern straight-mouth nase,Pseudochondrostoma duriense− in a vertical slot fishway

Passage performance of brown trout (Salmo trutta ), Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei ), and northern straight-mouth nase (Pseudochondrostoma duriense) was investigated in a vertical slot fishway in the Porma River (Duero River basin, Spain) using PIT telemetry. We analysed the effects of different fishway discharges on motivation and passage success. Both cyprinid species ascended the fishway easily, performing better than the trout despite their theoretically weaker swimming performance. Fishway discharge affected fish motivation although it did not clearly influence passage success. Observed results can guide design and operation criteria of vertical slot fishways for native Iberian fish.

Current velocity estimation using a lateral line probe

Freshwater ecosystems are inhabited by a vast spectrum of organisms, each with their own complex biotic–abiotic relations. Considering the management and conservation of these environments, it is necessary to understand the underlying hydrodynamic interactions to which aquatic organisms are subject. Outside of bulk flow properties such as the time-averaged velocity, it is currently difficult or impossible to obtain detailed observations of the fluid–body interaction using current measurement technology. It is in this context that the lateral line probe (LLP) has been developed. The LLP mimics the performance of flow sensing modalities present in many aquatic vertebrates. Research in the last decade has demonstrated that such devices are able to reproduce signals relevant to fish behavior and estimate the hydrodynamic stimulus response of the lateral line. However in most cases, the application of LLPs have been limited to idealized conditions, subject to rigorous calibration. In this paper we present an algorithm that allows the use of LLPs for current velocity estimation without sensor calibration. The method makes use of the fluctuations in the near-body pressure field induced by fluid–body interactions and introduces a semi-empirical resampling process based on the conservation of energy. The algorithm is calibrated using a closed flume and measurements taken using a laser Doppler anemometer. Validation of the approach is carried out by comparing results obtained with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) in a vertical slot fishway. The mean error as compared to direct measurements with the ADV was found to be 0.11m/s with a correlation of 0.92.

Extensive field measurements of flow in vertical slot fishway as data for validation of numerical simulations

Fishways are of great ecological importance and have been the focus of numerous studies. However, many fishways remain operating at an unsatisfactory level. Furthermore, field measurements of flow properties in effective fishways remain surprisingly rare compared to the number of various numerical and physical hydraulic models. The purpose of the research was to conduct extensive field measurements of the flow in an effectively operating vertical slot fishway (VSF), and to use the findings to calibrate and verify the depth-averaged two-dimensional (2D) numerical hydraulic model PCFLOW2D. Flow velocities were measured using a reliable 3D acoustic probe. Measured velocities were up to 50% larger than values calculated from an equation proposed in recent literature, but in accordance with results of our simulations. PCFLOW2D proved to be a useful tool for modeling fishway flow and could be used in similar hydro-environmental problems.

FishPath: aplicación informática de diseño de escalas de peces de hendidura vertical

<p>Las escalas de peces de hendidura vertical son estructuras hidráulicas diseñadas para permitir la migración de las especies piscícolas a través de obstáculos en ríos. El diseño adecuado de estos dispositivos depende de la interacción entre variables hidráulicas y biológicas, dado que las propiedades hidrodinámicas de la escala deben ajustarse a los requisitos de las especies objetivo. En este artículo se presenta una aplicación informática que analiza la eficiencia de un modelo de escala de acuerdo con criterios biológicos. El modelo propuesto aplica restricciones referidas a la capacidad de natación de los peces, a sus necesidades de calado y a sus requisitos en relación con la energía disipada en forma de turbulencias. Permite así comparar diseños de forma objetiva y determinar cuál será previsiblemente más eficiente. Con esta herramienta se busca facilitar a los técnicos involucrados en el diseño de escalas de peces de hendidura vertical la aplicación sistemática de criterios hidrobiológicos, que incorporen además los resultados de las investigaciones más recientes en este ámbito.</p>

Behaviour and locomotor activity of a migratory catostomid during fishway passage.

Fishways have been developed to restore longitudinal connectivity in rivers. Despite their potential for aiding fish passage, fishways may represent a source of significant energetic expenditure for fish as they are highly turbulent environments. Nonetheless, our understanding of the physiological mechanisms underpinning fishway passage of fish is still limited. We examined swimming behaviour and activity of silver redhorse (Moxostoma anisurum) during its upriver spawning migration in a vertical slot fishway. We used an accelerometer-derived instantaneous activity metric (overall dynamic body acceleration) to estimate location-specific swimming activity. Silver redhorse demonstrated progressive increases in activity during upstream fishway passage. Moreover, location-specific passage duration decreased with an increasing number of passage attempts. Turning basins and the most upstream basin were found to delay fish passage. No relationship was found between basin-specific passage duration and activity and the respective values from previous basins. The results demonstrate that successful fishway passage requires periods of high activity. The resultant energetic expenditure may affect fitness, foraging behaviour and increase susceptibility to predation, compromising population sustainability. This study highlights the need to understand the physiological mechanisms underpinning fishway passage to improve future designs and interpretation of biological evaluations.

Evaluating a vertical slot fishway in the recolonization of upstream stretch of River Mondego that was not available to sea lamprey

Evaluating a vertical slot fishway in the recolonization of upstream stretch of River Mondego that was not available to sea lamprey

Fish tracking in vertical slot fishways using computer vision techniques

Vertical slot fishways are hydraulic structures which allow the upstream migration of fish through obstructions in rivers. The appropriate design of these devices should take into account the behavior and biological requirements of the target fish species. However, little is known at the present time about fish behavior in these artificial conditions, which hinders the development of more effective fishway design criteria. In this work, an efficient technique to study fish trajectories and behavior in vertical slot fishways is proposed. It uses computer vision techniques to analyze images collected from a camera system and effectively track fish inside the fishway. Edge and region analysis algorithms are employed to detect fish in extreme image conditions and Kalman filtering is used to track fish along time. The proposed solution has been extensively validated through several experiments, obtaining promising results which may help to improve the design of fish passage devices.

Modification of vertical slot fishway flow with a supplementary cylinder

ABSTRACTThe paper reports on the experimental results of a vertical slot fishway (VSF) study. Particle image velocimetry and Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry were used to estimate the effects of a supplementary cylinder, appropriately positioned inside existing VSFs, on the hydraulic parameters and the instantaneous flow patterns. Special attention was paid to the analysis of the spatial flow distribution and to the instantaneous flow dynamics initiated by the addition of a cylinder. Modifications of velocity amplitudes, flow fluctuations and vorticity values were quantified for two dimensions of VSF. The contribution of a supplementary cylinder has been quantified in order to “smooth” the effects of turbulence and to facilitate the passage of the largest number of fish irrespective of their size or swimming capacity. The results provided insights on the control of the fishway turbulence, which might help engineers to develop effective systems for the passage of fish with low swimming capabilities.

Modeling Water-Depth Distribution in Vertical-Slot Fishways under Uniform and Nonuniform Scenarios

Vertical slot fishways are a type of fish pass of wide operating range that allow fish to move across obstacles in rivers. This study aims to model the performance of these structures, under uniform and nonuniform flow conditions, using discharge coefficients involving the downstream water level together with a logical algorithm. This will allow an explanation of the hydraulic behavior of this type of fishway under tailwater levels and flow variations on rivers. Two vertical slot fishways located in Duero River (North-Central Spain), subject to different hydraulic conditions, were studied for the validation of the proposed formulation. The observed values are consistent with the predicted results and, among others, demonstrate the importance of including variables that consider downstream water level. Consequently, the proposed discharge coefficients together with the algorithm have resulted in a method that enables the improvement of the performance of both existing and future vertical slot fishways. This will have major implications in real-life scenarios in which uniform operation conditions are rarely achieved.

Burst swimming in areas of high flow: delayed consequences of anaerobiosis in wild adult sockeye salmon.

Wild riverine fishes are known to rely on burst swimming to traverse hydraulically challenging reaches, and yet there has been little investigation as to whether swimming anaerobically in areas of high flow can lead to delayed mortality. Using acoustic accelerometer transmitters, we estimated the anaerobic activity of anadromous adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the tailrace of a diversion dam in British Columbia, Canada, and its effects on the remaining 50 km of their freshwater spawning migration. Consistent with our hypothesis, migrants that elicited burst swimming behaviors in high flows were more likely to succumb to mortality following dam passage. Females swam with more anaerobic effort compared to males, providing a mechanism for the female-biased migration mortality observed in this watershed. Alterations to dam operations prevented the release of hypolimnetic water from an upstream lake, exposing some migrants to supraoptimal, near-lethal water temperatures (i.e., 24°C) that inhibited their ability to locate, enter, and ascend a vertical-slot fishway. Findings from this study have shown delayed post-dam passage survival consequences of high-flow-induced burst swimming in sockeye salmon. We highlight the need for studies to investigate whether dams can impose other carryover effects on wild aquatic animals.

Experimental Flow Analysis of a Pool-Type Fishway Using Velocity Fields from Reduced Model and Prototype

This work deals with an experimental flow analysis of the first Brazilian vertical slot fishway using flow velocity measurements obtained from the facility reduced model and prototype. A fishway reduced model at 1:20 scale is specially devised to evaluate the flow conditions in laboratory. The reduced model flow velocity fields are compared with those obtained from the measurements taken from the prototype to perform the model validation. The experimental flow velocity fields rendered in this work permit not only to analyze the fishway flow characteristics but also to evaluate feasible changes on vertical slot fishways capable of improving their efficiency.

Numerical and physical model study of a vertical slot fishway

Abstract This paper presents the results of an experimental and numerical study of a vertical slot fishway (VSF). A 2-D depth-averaged shallow water numerical model PCFLOW2D coupled with three different turbulent models (constant eddy viscosity, Smagorinsky and k - ε) was used. A detailed analysis of numerical parameters needed for a correct simulation of the phenomenon was carried out. Besides the velocity field, attention was paid to important hydraulic parameters such as maximum velocity in the slot region and energy dissipation rate ε in order to evaluate the performance of VSF. A scaled physical hydraulic model was built to ensure reliable experimental data for the validation of the numerical model. Simulations of variant configurations of VSF showed that even small changes in geometry can produce more fishfriendly flow characteristics in pools. The present study indicates that the PCFLOW2D program is an appropriate tool to meet the main demands of the VSF design.

Field and numerical assessment of turning pool hydraulics in a vertical slot fishway

Turning pools are common in fishways, they create a more compact design by enabling fishways to fold back on themselves. Despite this, little is known about the hydraulic characteristics of turning pools or how they are influenced by different design elements. This paper presents the results of a study on the hydraulics of turning pools in vertical slot fishways focusing on the Vianney-Legendre vertical slot fishway in Quebec, Canada, which is one of few fishways worldwide to successfully pass sturgeon (i.e., lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens). Field velocity measurements taken in two pools and a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model study were used to assess the turning pool hydraulics of seven design geometries. Parallel biological studies of sturgeon in the fishway revealed that turning pools were the location with the highest rate of failed passage, apparently associated with large vortices in the centre of the turning pools which serve to delay or inhibit passage. Interestingly, the velocity, and turbulence levels are comparable to results from regular pools in vertical slot fishways. The volumetric energy dissipation rate in turning pools is suitable for fish passage. Based on in silico modelling we revealed that the addition of a baffle wall extending from the inside centre wall of the pool reduced the size of the vortex and provided a resting area for ascending fish. Adding a baffle wall should be considered in turning pools with semi-circular or straight back walls. There is a need for research to evaluate exactly how fish respond to different turning pool designs but in the interim, the approach used here demonstrates the potential for using hydraulic studies to design turning pools in fishways that meet biological criteria and presumably increase passage efficiency.

Comparative Physiology and Relative Swimming Performance of Three Redhorse (Moxostomaspp.) Species: Associations with Fishway Passage Success

Our understanding of biological criteria to inform fish passage design is limited, partially due to the lack of understanding of biological motivators, cues, and constraints, as well as a lack of biological performance evaluations of structures once they are built. The Vianney-Legendre vertical slot fishway on the Richelieu River, Quebec, Canada, passes large numbers of migrating redhorse (Moxostoma spp.) upriver to spawning grounds each year. We evaluated the physiological capacity and relative swimming ability of three redhorse species (Moxostoma anisurum, Moxostoma carinatum, Moxostoma macrolepidotum; silver, river, and shorthead redhorse, respectively) to determine how these biotic factors relate to variation in fishway passage success and duration. Shorthead redhorse had higher maximum metabolic rates and were faster swimmers than silver and river redhorse at their species-specific peak migration temperatures. Blood lactate and glucose concentrations recovered more quickly for river redhorse than for silver and shorthead redhorse, and river redhorse placed second in terms of metabolic recovery and swim speed. Interestingly, fish sampled from the top of the fishway had nearly identical lactate, glucose, and pH values compared to control fish. Using passive integrated transponders in 2010 and 2012, we observed that passage success and duration were highly variable among redhorse species and were not consistent among years, suggesting that other factors such as water temperature and river flows may modulate passage success. Clearly, additional research is needed to understand how organismal performance, environmental conditions, and other factors (including abundance of conspecifics and other comigrants) interact with fishway features to dictate which fish will be successful and to inform research of future fishways. Our research suggests that there may be an opportunity for a rapid assessment approach where fish chased to exhaustion to determine maximal values of physiological disturbance are compared to fish sampled from the top of the fishway, which could reveal which species (or sizes of fish) are approaching or exceeding their physiological capacity during passage.

Numerical Investigation of Flow in Various Types of Vertical Slot Fishways and the Function of Baffles

Numerical Investigation of Flow in Various Types of Vertical Slot Fishways and the Function of Baffles

Influence of Hydraulic Factor of Vertical-Slot Fishway on Swimming Ability of Fish

Vertical-slot fishway is widely used in different shape of fish-way due to the adaptability to water level amplitude, the hydraulic characteristics of the vertical-slot fish-way of different scale has been extensively researched by researcher domestic and overseas, the energy dissipation mechanism and hydraulic characteristics of the fish-way in different scale under different inflow has been acquainted now. In this paper, the hydraulic characteristics of Vertical-slot fish-way of different size under water depth, inflow and slope is analyzed , influence of water depth, flow velocity, dissipation rating per unit volume and turbulent energy etc. On fish swimming ability is discussed, and design of fish-way is evaluated by relevant hydraulic factor of fish swimming characteristics. Finally the research method and experience abroad is summarized in the paper.