Fish passage |
system, bypassing the turbine. Unnecessary trauma was limited and all fish were anesthetised prior to passage. To improve understanding of how fish interact with the runner blades, every passage event was filmed using high-speed video, and fish were assessed for injuries both immediately and after a 48-hour observation period. The only operational variable changed was the blade shape. Tests were conducted at five blade peripheral speeds ranging from 15.0 to 27.6m/sec. Under equivalent hydraulic conditions, the 48-hour survival rates for the FishSafe runner were 100% across nearly all speeds, with only one delayed mortality at the highest speed tested. In comparison, survival rates for fish passing through the conventional runner were between 42% and 78%, with approximately one-third of the tested fish suffering fatal severing injuries. The research team also noted that the analysis of
Members of the US Army Corps of Engineers and project partners for the Emerald Shiner Fish Passage cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark completion of construction of the project in Buffalo, New York on 23 July 2026. With funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Corps of Engineers used innovative design and construction methods to create a swimmable fish passage in the Niagara River for emerald shiner, supporting the Great Lakes ecosystem and economy. (US Army photo by Kaylee Wendt)
valuable information on existing fish passage mitigation and is a benchmark to gauge progress toward a modernised hydropower fleet that provides affordable, reliable energy while protecting fishery resources”.
Making fish safe Although Matson et al’s above study did not consider
turbine passage as downstream fish passage, replacing older turbine designs with fish-friendlier turbines potentially has economic implications for hydropower projects approaching licensing. This is because turbine upgrades may be a viable fisheries management strategy instead of implementing other more costly fish passage and protection measures. nN fact recent research suggests that in-stream turbine passage may be a realistic mechanism for safe, timely, and effective downstream passage for multiple species. A new peer-reviewed study has recently highlighted how fish survival can be dramatically improved with a straightforward upgrade path, with fish-friendly turbine manufacturer Natel independently validating its technology. Natel partnered with the Fangue Fish Conservation Physiology Lab at the University of California, Davis. Funded by a competitively awarded grant from the US Department of Energy, and co-authored by members of the Fangue Lab and Natel, the study evaluated injury and survival outcomes for juvenile white sturgeon. Much like salmon, sturgeon are anadromous fish that
mature in saltwater environments before returning to freshwater rivers to reproduce. Every few years, adults travel upstream seeking cold, fast-moving currents to spawn. Because sturgeon are exceptionally long- lived, individual fish migrate multiple times over their lifespans. Sturgeons are currently considered the most endangered group of species on Earth. The controlled experiment, conducted under the guidance of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at UC Davis, compared a conventional runner profile (thin, straight leading edges) to a Natel FishSafe runner (designed with thick, slanted leading edges) at the same hydraulic head and rotational speeds. During the trials, 112 juvenile white sturgeon were passed through the Natel FishSafe runner and 115 through the conventional runner. To establish a baseline for handling and facility survival, an additional control group of 125 fish were passed through the
38 | September 2026 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
strikes observed in the high-speed video footage revealed that the FishSafe runner exposed fish to a much lower strike probability than the conventional runner. It is claimed that this data demonstrates how Natel FishSafe turbine blade profiles can successfully eliminate the historic trade-off between clean energy generation and fish protection.
Restoration project The Walla Walla District of the US Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) has issued a five-year construction licence to the Benton Conservation District (BCD), for the Amon Creek Habitat Restoration Project. This is a US$1.2 million initiative aimed at improving fish habitat and migration conditions at the Yakima Delta Habitat Management Unit near McNary Lock and Dam. The project will reroute approximately 426m of the lower Amon Creek channel to connect with a deeper pool in the Yakima River. A low-flow deflector will also be installed to maintain Amon Creek’s cooler waters during summer months while creating natural scour at higher flows. These changes are expected to increase average water depth from 0.5 to 1.6m, creating cooler, deeper habitat for salmon and trout. The project is led by BCD in coordination with Mid- Columbia Fisheries and Yakama Nation Fisheries, with support from the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. In addition to cooler waters, initial assessments
determined the project could also reduce physiological stress while improving reproductive outcomes for salmonid populations. Work will also include planting native vegetation to improve channel stability, water quality, and riparian habitat. Construction is scheduled to begin in winter/spring 2026 and be completed by spring 2027. The project will be built in three phases: creating the new channel, installing the deflector, and dewatering and replanting the old channel.
Innovative project
Meanwhile, the Buffalo District of USACE, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Buffalo celebrated the completion of an innovative US$13.4m fish passage project that helps the emerald shiner – one of the Great Lakes’ most important fish – overcome the powerful currents of the Niagara River to move upstream after spawning. Funded entirely by the EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Emerald
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