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Turbine Passage at Four Low‐Head Hydroelectric Facilities in Northeast Michigan
Author(s) -
Navarro John E.,
McCauley Dennis J.,
Blystra Andrew R.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8675(1996)016<0182:tpaflh>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - stizostedion , diel vertical migration , micropterus , bass (fish) , fish mortality , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , hydroelectricity , biology , environmental science , ecology
Four low‐head hydroelectric facilities in northeast Michigan were monitored over a 1‐year period between 1991 and 1993 to determine the following characteristics of fish passing through the turbines: (1) species composition and size distribution, (2) diel and seasonal distribution, and (3) acute turbine mortality (<4 h). Fish were collected for 72‐h periods (biweekly from April to October and monthly from November to March) with nets placed over the turbine discharge area; fish were identified to species, lengths were recorded, and fish were classified as alive or dead. More than 80,000 fish were collected from all four facilities combined. Turbine passage at each facility had different species compositions and was usually dominated by one or two species of similar groups of fish. Sixty‐three percent of these fish were less than 10 cm long and were smaller‐sized species (i.e., Cyprinidae) and age‐0 fish. Sixty‐one percent of the fish passed through the facilities between 1600 and 0400 hours, but diel patterns varied by species. Fish movement typically peaked in spring and early summer. Acute turbine mortality averaged 8% and varied by species, size of fish, and turbine type; generally, mortality was higher for smaller fish and more delicate species. Acute turbine mortality for the primary sport fish was 19% for bass Micropterus spp. and 18% for walleye Stizostedion vitreum