“Restoring fish passage and reconnecting waterways – it’s our passion”
Hi everyone,
We have recently received this video showing fish passage restoration in Whatcom County Washington.
One of our team members; the director of SSA Environmental, Shane Scott, has been working hard to restore culverts/weirs across the United States.
We absolutely love seeing restoration work done around the world.
Shane has worked with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association to install Flexi-Baffles to increase the depth and reduce velocity in this fast-flowing culvert.
Hi everyone
Below is a photo showing modifications to a back-country mini-hydro intake weir.
The original fish pass and minimum residual flow devices were not functioning.
The new design successfully allows expected species, all of which are climbers – longfin eels, and some migratory galaxiid along with invertebrates, to migrate upstream.
The fish passes comprise a flexible rubber channel (2 x Flexi-baffles) lined with looped mussel-rope. The rope is only attached at the upstream end to avoid debris jams.
The Minimum residual flow is controlled by another flexible baffle that pushes water to sides before overtopping.
Please contact the Fish Passage Action Team for more detailed information.
Hi everyone
Many of you will be aware that observing, measuring and understanding the complex flows in which fish move is very challenging.
Below are a few interesting images that have been created by the Fish Passage Action Team using CFD modelling.
There are many options for displaying the results, but the fantastic thing is having the ability to see the velocity and direction of the flow down through the water column.
We are currently building a library with models using different flow rates, culvert types, baffle configurations etc.
If you have a particular project that would benefit from this type of simulation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team directly.
Note: A table with the model’s parameters is in the top right corner of each image.
Below is one of Tim’s videos featuring the culvert remediation project in the recently published “Lessons Learnt 8”.
There is some great underwater footage showing how fish navigate upstream utilizing the back-eddies and rest pools created by the flexible baffles.
For those that missed the write-up check it out here
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/native-animals/fish/fish-passage/lessons-learnt-case-studies/lessons-learnt-008-installation-of-flexi-baffles.pdf
The NZ Dept Conservation Fish Passage Advisory Group website has a number of Lessons Learnt describing different fish passage remediation projects.
Tim Olley spent over a year researching and putting together this comprehensive report highlighting the effectiveness of flexible baffles in a long, steep culvert.
We are planning to make a PowerPoint and/or video of this report at some point.
Enjoy.
Click here to view Lessons Learnt 8
Shane Scott has put together this short video showing some low cost fish passage remediation projects across North America.
Note the different configurations used to suit each site.
Also enjoy the great commentary with the Johnson Creek segment.
Contact Shane directly for more info – ph number at end of video.
Restoring fish passage is great, but don’t forget about the habitat!
In natural environments, overhanging vegetation is important for shade, refuge and a food supply, but also helps fish migrate up along the edges of waterways.
This video shows a trial project funded by Nelson City Council, where PlanterPods and Flexi-baffles are working together to provide habitat and passage, along a section of heavily modified urban stream in New Zealand.
Chuck Lobdell and the team at Johnson Creek Watershed OR have recently installed some flexible baffles in the culvert under Highway 26.
The aim is to improve fish passage in all flow particularly for spawning salmon.
The baffles are offset to provide a low-flow swim channel and also extend up the wall of the culvert to assist during higher flows.
