Evaluating vertical-slot fishway designs in terms of fish swimming capabilities

• Published in: Ecological engineering Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 37 - 48
• Main Authors: Rodríguez, Teresa Teijeiro, Agudo, J. Puertas, Mosquera, Luis Pena, González, E. Peña
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 31.08.2006
• Subjects: Burst speed; Fishway; Migratory fish; Minimum discharge; Pisces; Probability-of-use curves; Vertical slot; Fishway; Burst speed; Migratory fish; Probability-of-use curves; Minimum discharge; Vertical slot
• ISSN: 0925-8574; 1872-6992
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2005.09.015

One of the major problems in fishway design is that optimal parameters depend on an interplay of hydraulic and biological variables. This study presents a methodology for evaluating fishway designs in terms of the swimming capabilities of the target species. Specifically, we have evaluated two vertical-slot designs whose hydraulic properties were empirically characterized in a previous study. In view of these empirical data, for each design we have estimated (a) minimum discharges giving minimum fish-acceptable depths; (b) maximum pool sizes ensuring flow velocities low enough to be overcome by the fish; (c) maximum pool sizes ensuring turbulence low enough to be acceptable to the fish. These design constraints are calculated for different slopes (∼6 or ∼10%), different water temperatures (10, 15 or 20 °C), and different fish lengths. This methodology constitutes an effective means of taking fish swimming capabilities into account at the fishway design stage.