A quantitative assessment of fish passage efficiency

In an attempt to restore the connectivity of fragmented river habitats, a variety of passage facilities have been installed at river barriers. Despite the cost of building these structures, there has been no quantitative evaluation of their overall success at restoring fish passage. We reviewed articles from 1960 to 2011, extracted data from 65 papers on fish passage efficiency, size and species of fish, and fishway characteristics to determine the best predictors of fishway efficiency. Because data were scarce for fishes other than salmonids (order Salmoniformes), we combined data for all non‐salmonids for our analysis. On average, downstream passage efficiency was 68.5%, slightly higher than upstream passage efficiency of 41.7%, and neither differed across the geographical regions of study. Salmonids were more successful than non‐salmonids in passing upstream (61.7 vs. 21.1%) and downstream (74.6 vs. 39.6%) through fish passage facilities. Passage efficiency differed significantly between types of fishways; pool and weir, pool and slot and natural fishways had the highest efficiencies, whereas Denil and fish locks/elevators had the lowest. Upstream passage efficiency decreased significantly with fishway slope, but increased with fishway length, and water velocity. An information‐theoretic analysis indicated that the best predictors of fish passage efficiency were order of fish (i.e. salmonids > non‐salmonids), type of fishway and length of fishway. Overall, the low efficiency of passage facilities indicated that most need to be improved to sufficiently mitigate habitat fragmentation for the complete fish community across a range of environmental conditions.     

Upstream passage of fish through a vertical-slot fishway in an Australian subtropical river

The effectiveness of a vertical-slot fishway on the Burnett River barrage for facilitating migration of fish was assessed. In 100 samples taken at the top and bottom of the fishway, over 52 000 fish representing 34 species were collected at a maximum rate of 4500 fish per day. In contrast, less than 2000 fish ascended the original pool-and-weir fishway in 128, 24 h samples at the top between 1984 and 1987. Juvenile size classes dominated the abundance of many species in the present study and fish between 24 and 930 mm in length ascended the vertical-slot fishway. However, passage of small fish was restricted and for new fishways on tidal barriers a further reduction in head loss between pools is recommended. Importantly, the width of the vertical-slots was too small for effective upstream passage of large Queensland lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri (Krefft). The greatest diversity of fish species was found during low river flows. The findings suggest that vertical-slot fishways with wide pools and low turbulence pass a diverse range of fish fauna present in subtropical coastal rivers.     

Denil fishway utilization patterns and passage of several warmwater species relative to seasonal, thermal and hydraulic dynamics

Abstract – Two different Denil fishways on the Grand River, Ontario, were used as check-points to evaluate the upstream movement of fishes past a low-head weir and to examine the proportions and inferred swimming performance of non-salmonid warmwater fishes that used each fishway type. Traps installed at fishway exits were used to collect fish during 24-hour sampling periods, over 40–51 days each year, from 1995 to 1997. Passage rates, size selectivity, water temperature, water velocity and turbidity for the periods of maximum passage for each year were examined. General species composition from trap samples shifted from catostomids to cyprinids to ictalurids to percids and centrarchids, with some overlap, as water temperatures increased from 8 °C to 25 °C in the spring and early summer. Water depths, and therefore water velocities in each fishway, were independent of river discharge due to variable accumulations of debris on upstream trash-racks. Relationships between the water velocity and the swimming and position-holding abilities of several species emerged. Turbidity was directly related to river discharge and precipitation events, and many species demonstrated maximum fishway use during periods of increased turbidity. This study 1) provided evidence of strongly directional upstream movements among several species that were previously considered non-migratory and 2) describes physical and hydraulic conditions during fishway use for 29 non-salmonid fish species.     

Fishway entrance modifications enhance fish attraction

Two Denil fishways on the Grand River, Ontario, were monitored annually since 1994 for activity by several dozen fish species. Fishway entrances were enlarged and repositioned approximately 2 m closer to the weir face, in areas where fish were attracted by weir discharge. These simple modifications resulted in increased attraction efficiency for pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus (L.). After modifications, annual relative rate of recapture was 39% (95% confidence interval [CI]=32–46%), representing a 2.6–3-fold increase in fishway use relative to pre-modification conditions. Median daily recapture rates also increased significantly from 0% at both fishways to approximately 2%. These results suggest that fishway entrances should be located as close to a dam or weir face as possible, but velocity barriers from spillway or tailrace discharge must not compromise access.     

Lock gates improve passage of small-bodied fish and crustaceans in a low gradient vertical-slot fishway

Abstract  A modified 'lock' mode of operation was trialled within a low-slope (3.1%) vertical-slot fishway to improve passage of small-bodied (<60 mm long) native fishes in the Murray River, Australia. Significantly greater numbers of three small-bodied native fish and two crustacean species ascended the fishway during lock operation than during standard operation. Up to 9700 small-bodied fish and crustaceans exited during the lock operation in a single 2-h replicate. A deficiency of the temporary lock conditions was that large-bodied fish and their young-of-the-year (>50 mm long) did not ascend during the study. Considerable experimental work is required at other sites and at higher fishway slopes before widespread retro-fitting of lock gates. Nevertheless, these results highlight new options for potentially improving the ecological performance of existing pool-type fishways and new facilities.     

双侧竖缝式鱼道水力特性研究

研究分析不同水池长宽比条件下双侧竖缝式鱼道的水池流场结构及其水力学指标,为双侧竖缝式鱼道布置参数的优化选择提供技术依据。基于单侧竖缝式鱼道体型参数的研究成果,选取导板长度与水池宽度之比为0.25、竖缝宽度与水池宽度之比为0.15、导向角度为45°作为研究的基本体型;鱼道来流边界设置为压力进口,上游水深设置为2 m,出流边界设置为压力出口,下游水深设置为2 m;模型顶部设置为压力进口,进口压强为1.01×105Pa,边墙设置为固壁边界。采用三维数值模拟的方法研究分析了水池长宽比分别为4∶8、5∶8、5.5∶8、5.75∶8、6∶8、6.5∶8、7∶8、8∶8、9∶8的条件下双侧竖缝式鱼道的水池流场结构及其水力学指标。在不同水池长宽比条件下,鱼道常规水池内存在3种典型流场结构,其主流轨迹线、主流流速沿程衰减规律以及回流区分布等水力学指标均有不同,典型长宽比取值区间分别为4∶8~5.5∶8、5.75∶8~6.5∶8及7∶8~9∶8;对比发现,长宽比在5.75∶8~6.5∶8区间范围时,主流区宽度相对较大,水池空间利用较为充分,沿程流速衰减情况也较好,回流区主要分布于主流两侧且大小适中。初步认为长宽比5.75∶8~6.5∶8的水池流场结构较为合理。     

峡江水利枢纽鱼道过鱼效果的初步研究

为了解峡江水利枢纽鱼道过鱼效果,采用张网法和截堵法,于2019年10月、2020年1月、2020年4月、2020年8月对峡江水利枢纽鱼道的过鱼效果开展季度调查.鱼道内共采集鱼类4605尾,计42种,隶属于4目、9科、34属,以中小型鱼类为主,体长范围为2.3～48.5 cm,优势种为宽鳍鱲(Zacco platypus...     

流溪河水厂坝丹尼尔式鱼道运行效果初探

为检验流溪河水厂坝建立的丹尼尔式鱼道试点工程效果,在2015-2016年鱼道主要过鱼时段4-10月,利用张网法逐日监测。结果显示,鱼道取样共采集鱼类906尾,隶属于3目、8科、32属、34种,体长范围5～74cm,优势种为尼罗罗非鱼(Tilapia niloticus)(数量比51.10%)、歺又鱼(Hemiculter leucisculus)(16.23%)、唇鱼骨(Hemibarbus labeo)(8.17%)、银鮈(Squalidus argentatus)(6.73%)、东方墨头鱼(Garra orientalis)(1.55%),以定居型鱼类为主,未见河口洄游性鱼类。水温与上游水位是影响鱼类种类时间分布的主要环境因素。聚类分析表明,6月过鱼群体的种类和数量独成一类,与其他月份鱼类群体最不相似。虽然Shannon多样性指数在5月和6月分别为2.068和1.719,但总体偏低(1.451±0.535),而Margalef丰富度指数差别较小,表明不同鱼类对鱼道入口的感应存在种间差异,推测是由工程全段翻滚闸门下泄水流导致鱼道入口不易发现所致。研究表明,丹尼尔式鱼道试点工程效果较好,为该河段的绝大部分鱼类提供了上溯通道,对流溪河构建整体过鱼设施体系起到了良好的示范作用,有助于流溪河生态系统的健康与恢复。     

Non‐salmonids in a salmonid fishway: what do 50 years of data tell us about past and future fish passage?

Abstract  Salmonid fishways have been used in many countries for non-salmonid fishes, including Australia, but generally with poor results. Trapping the entrance and exit of a 1:9 gradient salmonid fishway on the Murray River confirmed very poor passage of native fish, with <1% of the most abundant species ascending. Fifty years of fish passage monitoring showed the numbers of three native species declining by 95–100% and non-native fish becoming dominant. Fishways are now being designed for native fish and being quantitatively assessed, but daily flow management also needs to be addressed. The ecological model for passage of potamodromous fishes has changed from passing adults of a few species to one that incorporates the whole fish community, specifically: immature fish of large-bodied species that dominate numbers migrating upstream; a diverse range of movement strategies; and small-bodied species, crustaceans and low numbers of less-mobile species.     

Use of a vertical-slot fishway by galaxiids in Western Australia

Abstract –  The Goodga River Fishway is the first vertical-slot fishway in Western Australia and was opened in April 2003 with the aim of increasing the habitat available to two galaxiids; the trout minnow ( Galaxias truttaceus ), a highly restricted freshwater fish species in Western Australia, and the widespread common jollytail ( Galaxias maculatus ). The fishway was designed to function during low flows to coincide with the upstream spawning migration of G. truttaceus . Prior to the opening of the fishway, no fish were found above the Goodga River gauging station (weir), which is approximately 2 km upstream of the river's entrance to Moates Lake. Fish migrations were monitored in each season between April 2003 and February 2005. Galaxias truttaceus utilised the fishway in all sampling periods. Adult fish migrated up the fishway prior to spawning, while large numbers of new recruits (small juveniles) negotiated the fishway during November 2003 and 2004. More G. truttaceus and G. maculatus were captured on the fishway during daylight hours compared with the night; however, larger G. truttaceus were more commonly captured at night whereas G. maculatus on the fishway were larger during the day. The fact that fishway utilisation by G. maculatus was consistent during all samples and new recruits migrated during periods of low flow demonstrates the importance of understanding the migration patterns of the target species when designing fishways.