Fish passage solutions |


Global efforts to protect aquatic ecosystems


Efforts to protect fish populations are on the rise across the globe. From the US Bureau of Reclamation’s actions in Glen Canyon Dam to a groundbreaking fishway project in Australia, funding for fish passage and protection technologies, and research on the Mekong River system, IWP&DC presents a comprehensive look at initiatives addressing environmental challenges in aquatic ecosystems


Above: Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona, US. The US Bureau of Reclamation is developing alternative operational strategies to safeguard the delicate ecosystem surrounding the dam


Right: Humpback chub. A predatory invasive fish species is posing a threat to the federally protected humpback chub at Glen Canyon Dam in the US


30 | November 2023 | www.waterpowermagazine.com


DECLINING WATER LEVELS AT Lake Powell have prompted the US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to disrupt invasive fish spawning at the Glen Canyon Dam. In a significant move to safeguard the delicate ecosystem surrounding the dam, USBR says it is developing alternative operational strategies that may extend until 2027. The lake’s declining water levels have led to the epilimnion, the upper layer of the lake where most fish are located, drawing nearer to the water intakes of the Glen Canyon Dam. This shift has increased the likelihood of non-native fish passing through the dam and into the Colorado River. Moreover, the epilimnion, when discharged downstream, raises the river’s temperature, creating ideal spawning conditions for the smallmouth bass, a predatory invasive fish species that poses a threat to the


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