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Updated: May 10, 2026
05:12
Swimming Performance Assessment in Fishes
Published on: May 20, 2011
Pool-type fishways: two different morpho-ecological cyprinid species facing plunging and streaming flows
Paulo Branco1, José M Santos, Christos Katopodis
1CEF - Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. pjbranco@isa.utl.pt
Plos One
|June 7, 2013
Summary
Fish passage devices are crucial for river connectivity. Streaming flow in fishways benefits both bottom-oriented and water-column fish species, improving upstream movement and overall fishway effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Aquatic ecology
- Fisheries science
- Hydraulic engineering
Background:
- Loss of river connectivity critically impacts fish populations by impeding access to spawning grounds.
- Fish passage devices are common solutions, but their effectiveness varies with fish species' ecological traits.
- Optimizing fishway design requires understanding species-specific behavior and hydraulic parameters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the behavior and performance of two fish species with distinct ecological characteristics in an experimental fishway.
- To compare the effectiveness of two different flow regimes (plunging and streaming) within the fishway.
- To determine optimal hydraulic conditions for fish passage.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a full-scale experimental pool-type fishway.
- Tested two fish species: Iberian barbel (bottom-oriented) and Iberian chub (water column).
- Implemented and compared two flow regimes: plunging and streaming flow.
Main Results:
- Both Iberian barbel and Iberian chub species utilized the surface notch more effectively during streaming flow compared to plunging flow.
- Upstream movement success was higher for both species under streaming flow conditions.
- Surface-oriented species showed a preference for the surface notch in streaming flow.
Conclusions:
- Streaming flow conditions enhance upstream fish movement for diverse species.
- Streaming flow appears to be the most suitable regime for fishways accommodating a wide range of fish morpho-ecological traits.
- Optimized fishway design should consider flow regimes to maximize passage success for various fish species.
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