Passability of Potamodromous Species through a Fish Lift at a Large Hydropower Plant (Touvedo, Portugal)

Daniel Mameri, Rui Rivaes, João M. Oliveira, João Pádua, Maria T. Ferreira and José M. Santos
Additional contact information
Daniel Mameri: Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
Rui Rivaes: Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
João M. Oliveira: Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
João Pádua: EDP Labelec—Estudos, Desenvolvimento e Actividades Laboratoriais, S.A., Rua Cidade de Goa, 4, 2685-038 Sacavém, Portugal
Maria T. Ferreira: Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
José M. Santos: Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: River fragmentation by large hydropower plants (LHP) has been recognized as a major threat for potamodromous fish. Fishways have thus been built to partially restore connectivity, with fish lifts representing the most cost-effective type at high head obstacles. This study assessed the effectiveness with which a fish lift in a LHP on the River Lima (Touvedo, Portugal), allows potamodromous fish—Iberian barbel ( Luciobarbus bocagei ), Northern straight-mouth nase ( Pseudochondrostoma duriense ) and brown trout ( Salmo trutta fario )- to migrate upstream. Most fish (79.5%) used the lift between summer and early-fall. Water temperature was the most significant predictor of both cyprinids’ movements, whereas mean daily flow was more important for trout. Movements differed according to peak-flow magnitude: nase (67.8%) made broader use of the lift in the absence of turbined flow, whereas a relevant proportion of barbel (44.8%) and trout (44.2%) passed when the powerhouse was operating at half (50 m 3 s −1 ) and full-load (100 m 3 s −1 ), respectively. Size-selectivity found for barbel and trout could reflect electrofishing bias towards smaller sizes. The comparison of daily abundance patterns in the river with fish lift records allowed the assessment of the lift’s efficacy, although biological requirements of target species must be considered. Results are discussed in the context of management strategies, with recommendations for future studies.

Keywords: potamodromous fish; migration; lift; hydropower; species management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/1/172/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/1/172/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2019:i:1:p:172-:d:301599

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().