Environment |
upstream the fish are also constantly within water, protecting them from mechanical damage which can cause bruising and infection risk.
Sustainable The Fishheart fishway at the Leppikoski hydropower
plant was inaugurated on 1 October 2021. Since the start of testing in August it has successfully transferred several mature lake trout (over 60cm) above the dam. So far, the fishway has transferred about 2500 fish this fall. In addition to trout, Fishheart has registered other fish species, including perch, lamprey, bream, vendace, whitefish, and pike perch. The system at Leppikoski will be tested until mid-October, and its use will continue next summer.
Fish population
Above and right: Together with its subsidiary Uniper, Fortum has a hydropower capacity of 844GW located in Finland, Sweden and Germany
Fishheart is part of a set of measures being implemented to strengthen the natural cycle of the threatened trout in lake Oulujärvi in the vicinity of the Leppikoski hydropower plant. The tributaries upstream of the Leppikoski power plant provide potential habitats and breeding grounds essential for the life cycle of the trout population; this year there have been habitat restorations in the tributaries. Moreover, Fortum is annually stocking lake trout fry upstream in an effort to strengthen the fish population that imprints to the river.
Far right: The Fishheart hydraulic fishway is located in the tailrace channel of the power plant with tubes connecting to upstream of the dam
j water. In addition, there is an underwater attraction flow guiding the fish into the system. The Fishheart control unit is inside a separate container, containing electrical system hardware, monitors, meters, and controller unit. The system is operated remotely and runs 24/7. Once AI has identified a desired fish in the camera system the logic automatically operates tube pumps and valves to provide that fish an opportunity to pass over the dam. A pump helps the elevation process. Fishheart is not selective about fish species and thus fish in all sizes and with different swimming capacities can use the system, including salmon, trout, whitefish, lamprey, herring, and eel. It can also be used to separate invasive species. Water usage is around 10% compared with traditional fish passages. The unit can be placed where fish naturally gather and has a passing rate comparable with many other solutions. During transfer
Fortum has been working on biodiversity for a long time and is committed to several climate and environmental targets, which include the goal to implement at group level significant voluntary measures to improve biodiversity. Leppikoski Fishheart is one of these voluntary measures advancing biodiversity. Local cooperation is the key to sustainable development for people, nature and the energy future. ●
Author information The author is Susanna Hyrkäs, Environmental Manager at Fortum. Fortum is a European energy company that is active in more than 40 countries. Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, together with its subsidiary Uniper, it is the third largest producer of CO2
-free electricity in Europe. Hydropower is the most
important renewable energy source in the Nordics. Together with Uniper, Fortum has a hydropower capacity of 844GW - 155GW in Finland, 490GW in Sweden and 199GW in Germany.
www.fortum.com
24 | November 2021 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
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