Event Title

Session A1: Efficacy of Pulsed Air Directed Passage (ADP) as a Means of Motivating Shad to Pass Diversion Structures

Location

Groningen, The Netherlands

Event Website

http://fishpassage.umass.edu/

Start Date

22-6-2015 11:10 AM

End Date

22-6-2015 11:25 AM

Description

Abstract

Enabling diadromous fishes to enter, pass through and exit fish diversion structures, such as fishways, with minimal delay remains a challenge. The Conte Laboratory’s Air Directed Passage (ADP) technology acts to supplement volitional behavioral cues by exploiting fish sensitivity/aversion to high energy flow fields established with a sequentially activated series of parallel air diffusers (medium bubble flexible membrane type) positioned at strategic locations along the floor of test fishways. Compressed air flow is controlled by a PLC/solenoid valve system that acts to pulse air introductions at high frequency so as to actively herd fish toward upstream water inlet structures. ADP allows for control of progression (sweep) speed, direction, energy level and frequency of repeat sweeps. Tests of ADP were conducted using actively migrating wild adult Connecticut River American shad (Alosa sapidissima) collected mid-May through early June 2014 (N=408). Collected fish were measured for length, sexed, and tagged externally with 23 mm half-duplex PIT tags and held overnight. Trials were performed in a laboratory flume measuring 3 m X 18 m that received Connecticut River water at a rate of 368 l/s which provided a working depth of 137 cm. Water entered the flume via a contracted rectangular weir 91 cm in width with a delta H of 35.6 cm. The flume bulkhead supporting the weir incorporated aprons and a ramped floor to streamline flow. The floor of the flume incorporated 14 recessed rows of diffusers positioned at 1.2 m centers along its longitudinal axis. Each row relied on 17 diffusers for air release. Air flow was applied at 5 m^3/min with rest periods of 1 min between the 10 successive ADP sweeps used per trial. Fish passage rates were monitored by PIT antennas interfaced to a multi-reader PIT tag recorder. ADP increased passage rate 7.7 fold over selected test periods when compared to controls, i.e., 3.83% vs 0.44% per min.

Comments

Presenting Author Bio: Mr. Noreika is a Hydraulic Engineer for the S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center Engineering Fish Passage Section. He is an innovative test engineer and designer with over 20 years of extensive experience in model testing and instrumentation related to fish passage, fishway design, and field measurements. His responsibilities include model and test design, construction supervision, instrumentation applications and testing, data evaluation, reporting, and client interaction.

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Jun 22nd, 11:10 AM Jun 22nd, 11:25 AM

Session A1: Efficacy of Pulsed Air Directed Passage (ADP) as a Means of Motivating Shad to Pass Diversion Structures

Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract

Enabling diadromous fishes to enter, pass through and exit fish diversion structures, such as fishways, with minimal delay remains a challenge. The Conte Laboratory’s Air Directed Passage (ADP) technology acts to supplement volitional behavioral cues by exploiting fish sensitivity/aversion to high energy flow fields established with a sequentially activated series of parallel air diffusers (medium bubble flexible membrane type) positioned at strategic locations along the floor of test fishways. Compressed air flow is controlled by a PLC/solenoid valve system that acts to pulse air introductions at high frequency so as to actively herd fish toward upstream water inlet structures. ADP allows for control of progression (sweep) speed, direction, energy level and frequency of repeat sweeps. Tests of ADP were conducted using actively migrating wild adult Connecticut River American shad (Alosa sapidissima) collected mid-May through early June 2014 (N=408). Collected fish were measured for length, sexed, and tagged externally with 23 mm half-duplex PIT tags and held overnight. Trials were performed in a laboratory flume measuring 3 m X 18 m that received Connecticut River water at a rate of 368 l/s which provided a working depth of 137 cm. Water entered the flume via a contracted rectangular weir 91 cm in width with a delta H of 35.6 cm. The flume bulkhead supporting the weir incorporated aprons and a ramped floor to streamline flow. The floor of the flume incorporated 14 recessed rows of diffusers positioned at 1.2 m centers along its longitudinal axis. Each row relied on 17 diffusers for air release. Air flow was applied at 5 m^3/min with rest periods of 1 min between the 10 successive ADP sweeps used per trial. Fish passage rates were monitored by PIT antennas interfaced to a multi-reader PIT tag recorder. ADP increased passage rate 7.7 fold over selected test periods when compared to controls, i.e., 3.83% vs 0.44% per min.

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2015/June22/55