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Session A8: Small Scale Efficiency of Downstream Bypasses and Large Scale Effects of Hydropower Production for Fish Populations: An Advanced Experimental Design Using Radio Telemetry

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Abstract
Abstract: Different technological solutions are currently in use to improve downstream fish passage. However, there is no standardized method of assessing their efficiency. At the same time, negative effects on fish populations caused by river damming are seldom taken into account. Here, an advanced radio telemetry set-up is presented, which provides a standardized method to assess both large scale effects of river damming and small scale efficiency of downstream fish pass solutions. This method divides the river into different sections up- and downstream of the power plant, i.e. i) natural section, ii) reservoir section, iii) power plant section and iv) downstream section. Fixed antenna stations mark the beginning and end of each section, whilst all potential migration corridors at the power plant are also covered by antennas. Antennas are tuned and, if necessary, custom made for each site, providing the ability to adapt the system to most hydropower settings. In addition, manual tracking from the river bank or boat is used to provide higher data resolution and differentiate between live and dead, but drifting fish. Simultaneously to the monitoring of biological data, power production and losses associated with the operation of the bypasses are also documented. Using this design, mortality and migration speed can be compared between natural and impounded river sections. Further, migration route choice can be documented for each fish, thus providing an assessment of bypass efficiency. Using this novel approach, different downstream bypass solutions can be compared, both in terms of their efficiency as well as the system specific large scale effects of river damming, whilst assessing the overall cost to hydropower production.
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2015-06-24
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