The impact of an Archimedes screw hydropower turbine on fish migration in a lowland river

Published source details Piper A.T., Rosewarne P.J., Wright R.M. & Kemp P.S. (2018) The impact of an Archimedes screw hydropower turbine on fish migration in a lowland river. Ecological Engineering, 118, 31-42.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Install baffled fish passes Action Link
	Install climbing structures for fish Action Link

Install baffled fish passes

A study in 2013–2015 in a river in southeast England, UK (Piper et al. 2018; same experimental set-up as Piper & Wright 2017) found that a baffled fish pass at a hydropower station was used by low numbers of silver and yellow European eels Anguilla anguilla to travel downstream. Over two winters, five of 122 silver eels (4%) migrated downstream through a baffled fish pass. The other eels passed through an 'Archimedes' screw turbine (29 eels, 24%), a navigational lock (84 eels, 69%), or returned upstream (4 eels, 3%). The fish pass was also used by yellow eels to travel downstream (4 eels) and upstream (3 eels). In 2012, a 'Larinier' super active baffled fish pass (9.3 m long, 0.7 m wide, 15° slope, 100 mm baffle height) was installed next to an 'Archimedes' screw turbine. A navigational lock (with open gates) was located in an adjacent channel. In November–January 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, silver eels captured 5 km upstream of the hydropower station were radio-tagged and released (30–67 eels/year). In the second winter, 30 tagged silver eels were also released 30 m upstream of the hydropower station. In April–September 2013 and March–July 2014, yellow eels captured in the river were tagged and released 100 m upstream (total 74 eels) and downstream (total 216 eels) of the hydropower station. Eels were tracked using radio antennas from April 2013 to March 2015, and with imaging sonar from November to March 2015. 

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
Install climbing structures for fish

A study in 2013–2015 in a river in southeast England, UK (Piper et al. 2018) found that two upstream eel ladders were used by around one-fifth of tagged yellow European eels Anguilla anguilla to travel upstream past a hydropower station. Of 34 tagged yellow eels that approached from downstream, 6–7 eels (18–21%) travelled through two upstream eel passes. Two yellow eels were also recorded travelling downstream through one of the eel passes. Two upstream eel passes consisting of troughs (6 m long, 0.2 m wide, 26° slope) with nylon bristles (100 mm long, 18 mm spacing) were installed along the channel walls on both sides of an 'Archimedes' screw turbine (one in 2012, one in April 2014). In April–September 2013 and March–July 2014, yellow eels captured in the river were tagged and released 100 m upstream (total 74 eels) and downstream (total 216 eels) of the hydropower station. Eels were tracked using radio antennas from April 2013 to March 2015, and with imaging sonar from November to March 2015. 

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)