Location
Groningen, The Netherlands
Event Website
http://fishpassage.umass.edu/
Start Date
22-6-2015 11:25 AM
End Date
22-6-2015 11:40 AM
Description
Abstract
Understanding and facilitating fish passage in large rivers is a major challenge. This challenge stems in part from the scarcity of surveys of large river, due the inherent difficulties associated with studying them. In addition large rivers host a great number of fish species differing in size, ecological requirements and swimming abilities. Notwithstanding the limited information regarding these topics, EU and national legislation require passage facilities for all species and size classes to reach the “good ecological status” till 2027.
VERBUND, the largest power plant operator in Austria, is responsible to implement these measures on a variety of big rivers in Austria and Germany. First projects started in the mid-1980ies at the Power plant Greifenstein at the Danube followed by more than 15 fishways at a variety of large Rivers (Danube River, Inn River, Salzach River, Drau River, Möll River, Mur River).
Most of the projects have been accompanied by a scientific monitoring program.
In our contribution we present our experience and learnings gained with construction, operation and functionality of different types of fish ladders at big rivers including the “Hydrodynamic fishlift”, conventional vertical slot passes, and nature-like bypass channels.
The projects show that the requirements formulated in the EU-WFD cannot be achieved by measures to improve fish passage alone. In order to achieve the objectives the improvement of habitat conditions is required. One of the key habitat types in large rivers are permanently connected side arms, which provide spawning grounds and shelter from ship-induced waves.
A stepwise procedure using different types of fundings has proven successful so far to implement the environmentally and economically feasible in a reasonable time frame. It is also important to co-ordinate all actions with the different types of usage of the Danube (Energy, navigation, flood protection, ...) and the responsible stake holders.
Session B1: Fish Passage in Large Rivers: Challenges and Solutions
Groningen, The Netherlands
Abstract
Understanding and facilitating fish passage in large rivers is a major challenge. This challenge stems in part from the scarcity of surveys of large river, due the inherent difficulties associated with studying them. In addition large rivers host a great number of fish species differing in size, ecological requirements and swimming abilities. Notwithstanding the limited information regarding these topics, EU and national legislation require passage facilities for all species and size classes to reach the “good ecological status” till 2027.
VERBUND, the largest power plant operator in Austria, is responsible to implement these measures on a variety of big rivers in Austria and Germany. First projects started in the mid-1980ies at the Power plant Greifenstein at the Danube followed by more than 15 fishways at a variety of large Rivers (Danube River, Inn River, Salzach River, Drau River, Möll River, Mur River).
Most of the projects have been accompanied by a scientific monitoring program.
In our contribution we present our experience and learnings gained with construction, operation and functionality of different types of fish ladders at big rivers including the “Hydrodynamic fishlift”, conventional vertical slot passes, and nature-like bypass channels.
The projects show that the requirements formulated in the EU-WFD cannot be achieved by measures to improve fish passage alone. In order to achieve the objectives the improvement of habitat conditions is required. One of the key habitat types in large rivers are permanently connected side arms, which provide spawning grounds and shelter from ship-induced waves.
A stepwise procedure using different types of fundings has proven successful so far to implement the environmentally and economically feasible in a reasonable time frame. It is also important to co-ordinate all actions with the different types of usage of the Danube (Energy, navigation, flood protection, ...) and the responsible stake holders.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2015/June22/25
Comments
Presenting Author Bio:
Dr. Walter Reckendorfer is Freshwater ecologist at VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH, the largest power plant operator in Austria. His study areas have covered fish and invertebrate ecology and river restoration with a focus on large floodplain rivers. He received his Ph.D. in Freshwater Ecology from the University of Vienna in 2002. Previous academic work included positions as a Research associate at the University of Vienna and as a Senior researcher at the WasserCluster Lunz. He published several peer review papers in national and international journals with a focus on large floodplain rivers and taught courses at the University of Vienna and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna.