The importance of behaviour in predicting the impact of a novel small-scale hydropower device on the survival of downstream moving fish
The importance of behaviour in predicting the impact of a novel small-scale hydropower device on the survival of downstream moving fish
Further exploitation of hydroelectric power is one strategy that may help European Union member states meet targets to increase the proportion of electricity produced by renewable means. Government subsidies and novel technologies are aiding the development of previously uneconomic, very low-head (<2.5 m) hydropower sites. Legislation requires that environmental impacts of hydropower development must be assessed and mitigated for. This study incorporated numerical blade strike models (BSMs), open channel flume experiments, and field observations to determine the importance of behaviour when assessing impacts of a novel hydropower device (the Hydrostatic Pressure Converter [HPC]) on downstream moving fish. A Stochastic BSM predicted a lower probability of strike for small fish that travelled downstream faster, and when blades rotated slowly. When empirical data were incorporated into a BSM, predicted probability of strike was in agreement with that observed during a validation test in which freshly euthanised hatchery reared brown trout (Salmo trutta) were recorded passively drifting through a prototype HPC under an experimental setting. Forty-four percent of trout were struck by a blade, of these, 64% sustained obvious visible physical damage. Behavioural observations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and European eel (Anguilla anguilla) suggest that fish will pass through an unscreened HPC. When behavioural parameters (fish velocity, orientation/degree of body contortion) were incorporated into the BSM, probability of strike increased and decreased for trout and eel, respectively, compared with an assumption of passive drift with the flow. Field observations supported the suggestion that salmonid behaviour may increase risk of mortality during passage through small-scale hydropower devices. This study highlights the importance of considering interspecific variation in behaviour when developing BSMs and conducting Environmental Impact Assessments of hydropower development.
low-head hydropower, turbine, blade strike model, flume, fish injury
151-159
Vowles, Andrew
c35c3a75-2199-4665-8340-e8ee7abc25f4
Karlsson, Simon P.
171e208a-dcf7-4b2a-a4f9-83e0cdbefa4e
Uzunova, Eliza P.
c3849371-d3bb-47d1-b664-daf61c0747e8
Kemp, Paul S.
9e33fba6-cccf-4eb5-965b-b70e72b11cd7
August 2014
Vowles, Andrew
c35c3a75-2199-4665-8340-e8ee7abc25f4
Karlsson, Simon P.
171e208a-dcf7-4b2a-a4f9-83e0cdbefa4e
Uzunova, Eliza P.
c3849371-d3bb-47d1-b664-daf61c0747e8
Kemp, Paul S.
9e33fba6-cccf-4eb5-965b-b70e72b11cd7
Vowles, Andrew, Karlsson, Simon P., Uzunova, Eliza P. and Kemp, Paul S.
(2014)
The importance of behaviour in predicting the impact of a novel small-scale hydropower device on the survival of downstream moving fish.
Ecological Engineering, 69, .
(doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.03.089).
Abstract
Further exploitation of hydroelectric power is one strategy that may help European Union member states meet targets to increase the proportion of electricity produced by renewable means. Government subsidies and novel technologies are aiding the development of previously uneconomic, very low-head (<2.5 m) hydropower sites. Legislation requires that environmental impacts of hydropower development must be assessed and mitigated for. This study incorporated numerical blade strike models (BSMs), open channel flume experiments, and field observations to determine the importance of behaviour when assessing impacts of a novel hydropower device (the Hydrostatic Pressure Converter [HPC]) on downstream moving fish. A Stochastic BSM predicted a lower probability of strike for small fish that travelled downstream faster, and when blades rotated slowly. When empirical data were incorporated into a BSM, predicted probability of strike was in agreement with that observed during a validation test in which freshly euthanised hatchery reared brown trout (Salmo trutta) were recorded passively drifting through a prototype HPC under an experimental setting. Forty-four percent of trout were struck by a blade, of these, 64% sustained obvious visible physical damage. Behavioural observations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and European eel (Anguilla anguilla) suggest that fish will pass through an unscreened HPC. When behavioural parameters (fish velocity, orientation/degree of body contortion) were incorporated into the BSM, probability of strike increased and decreased for trout and eel, respectively, compared with an assumption of passive drift with the flow. Field observations supported the suggestion that salmonid behaviour may increase risk of mortality during passage through small-scale hydropower devices. This study highlights the importance of considering interspecific variation in behaviour when developing BSMs and conducting Environmental Impact Assessments of hydropower development.
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Vowles et al. 2014b.pdf
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e-pub ahead of print date: 3 May 2014
Published date: August 2014
Keywords:
low-head hydropower, turbine, blade strike model, flume, fish injury
Organisations:
Water & Environmental Engineering Group
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Local EPrints ID: 364831
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/364831
ISSN: 0925-8574
PURE UUID: 1d5bfeae-35be-459b-a1ec-6687750a2875
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Date deposited: 13 May 2014 16:20
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:34
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Author:
Simon P. Karlsson
Author:
Eliza P. Uzunova
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