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Item Numerical simulation of rock ramp fishway for small-bodied Great Plains fishes(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2023) Ufelle, Cindy Chidumebi; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Kathryn PlymesserThe preservation and restoration of fish populations and their habitats have become significant aspects of environmental conservation efforts. Effectiveness of fish passage structures plays a crucial role in facilitating the successful migration of various fish species. This research focused on utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models to assess the hydraulic conditions within a rock ramp fishway with varying slopes and flow rates for small-bodied Great Plains fishes. This work built upon a previous study conducted by Swarr (2018) to investigate the passage success rates of three small-bodied fish of the Great Plains of North America: Flathead Chub (Platygobio gracilis), Arkansas Darter (Etheostoma cragini), and Stonecat (Noturus flavus) within a full-scale laboratory rock ramp fishway. Using commercial software, Flow-3D Hydro, CFD models were developed to simulate and predict hydraulic parameters such as flow depths, velocities, and turbulence kinetic energies (TKEs) within the fishway. To validate the accuracy of the CFD models, predicted flow depths and velocities were compared with observed data for two slopes: 2% and 10%. The CFD model results indicated that increasing slopes and flow rates led to corresponding increases in the mean values of the studied parameters. The mean depth varied from 0.051 m on the 2% slope to 0.068 m on the 10% slope. The mean velocity increased from 0.272 m/s on the mildest slope to 1.003 m/s on the steepest slope. Additionally, the average TKE ranged from 0.003 J/kg on the 2% slope to 0.014 J/kg on the 10% slope. The study highlighted that higher velocity and TKE values at steeper slopes may have contributed to the poor upstream passage rate, particularly for weaker swimmer species, like the Arkansas Darter, at slopes greater than 4%, as observed in the physical model study. Findings demonstrated that the presence of rocks in the fishway created diverse flow conditions. Low-velocity zones observed behind rocks within the fishway may provide favorable conditions for successful fish ascent. This research showcases the capabilities of CFD in providing quantitative data for optimizing fish passage structure design and contributing to conservation efforts.Item Westslope cutthroat trout passage in a scaled Denil fishway(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2023) Buller, Cole John; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Kathryn Plymesser; This is a manuscript style paper that includes co-authored chapters.Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) are a species of concern in the state of Montana and has become the focus of conservation efforts and research. Habitat fragmentation, caused by structures such as dams, culverts, and weirs, is one of the largest threats to Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Denil fishways have been installed at low-head diversions to facilitate their movement past these structures and maintain habitat connectivity. Recent research has focused on scaled Denil fishways, which require less water for operation than standard sized Denil fishways and leave more water for competing uses such as agricultural irrigation. The purpose of this study was to examine the passage of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in a 0.6-scale Denil fishway to determine the hydraulic conditions that best allow for passage. To do this, we prescribed twelve treatments of headwater and downstream approach depth combinations. Each treatment was replicated three times for a total of 36 trials with 10 fish in each trial. Fish movements and passage efficiencies were tracked using PIT tag telemetry. Overall, 68% (256/379) of the fish successfully passed through the fishway. Mixed effects statistical modeling was used to relate passage success to hydraulic variables and fish length. Results from this analysis indicate headwater to tailwater depth ratio and bulk tailwater velocity (as measured at the downstream end of the fishway) are the best metrics to predict the passage efficiency of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in a scaled Denil fishway. In general, passage success increased with lower headwater to tail water depth ratios (i.e., depths at the up and downstream ends of the fishway are similar) and lower tailwater velocities.Item Assessment, evaluation, and development of fish passage guidelines(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2021) Denham, Travis John; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Kathryn Plymesser; This is a manuscript style paper that includes co-authored chapters.Instream barriers such as dams and diversions have been designed and constructed on America's rivers for centuries. In recent decades, the negative impacts from instream barriers on freshwater ecosystems have become more well-known and an industry established focusing on mitigating these negative impacts and restoring freshwater ecosystems. A primary focus of practitioners working to restore freshwater ecosystems has been to reconnect aquatic organisms to their original range through the design and implementation of fish ladders, also known as fishways. Fishways provide passage routes for fish past instream barriers, upstream and downstream. Fishway design in the Pacific Northwest United States focused primarily on anadromous salmonids, more commonly known as salmon (genus Oncorhynchus), due to cultural, economic, and recreational significance of salmon. Salmon are strong swimmers when compared to many other fish species; therefore, fishways designed and constructed specifically to allow passage of salmon may not provide safe, timely, and effective passage of other fishes. The purpose of this document is to present a fishway design resource aimed at providing necessary species-specific background and abilities of weaker swimming fishes and evaluate the applicability of existing fishway design criteria when designing fishways for Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus). The fishway resource focuses on Bull Trout and Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) and will be provided to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a draft document for future publishing. An extensive literature review was completed identifying species abilities, background, and comparison to existing design criteria, fishway practitioners were briefed on the project and their opinions related to content and format were solicited, and findings were thoroughly reviewed and discussed by and with USFWS staff. As a result of this project a concise fishway resource has been developed as a draft and template for USFWS staff. Additionally, an evaluation of the applicability of using anadromous salmonid passage criteria when designing passage facilities for Bull Trout was conducted. Lastly, future research projects were suggested to address data gaps in Bull Trout swimming performance and fishway designs for them.Item Effectiveness of the nature-like fishway at Huntley Diversion Dam, Yellowstone River, Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2022) Anderson, Ian Richard; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Alexander V. ZaleWe evaluated passage of a diverse fish assemblage through the nature-like fishway built around Huntley Diversion Dam, the uppermost of six low-head diversion dams on the Yellowstone River in Montana. Although nature-like fishways purportedly facilitate the passage of many species, relatively few have been evaluated, particularly on large rivers with unregulated discharge regimes. We examined seasonal and diel use of the Huntley fishway, quantified efficiencies and temporal metrics, and determined which factors influenced attraction and passage. We implanted > 3,500 fish of 14 species with passive integrated transponder tags, released most fish 250 m downstream of the fishway, and used stationary antennas to monitor movements of fish through the fishway in 2019 and 2020. Seasonal use of the fishway was generally associated with pre-spawning movements and occurred from April to August annually, and diel use reflected the known biology of each species. Attraction efficiencies were apparently low (usually < 50%), probably because of low motivation or the inability of fish to locate the entrance. Suckers released on opposite riverbanks downstream of the fishway were similarly successful at locating the entrance. Entrance efficiencies were usually > 90%. Both transit and passage efficiencies were usually > 60%, but fewer individuals (particularly among certain species) successfully passed than were able to transit to near the fishway exit. High river discharges were associated with decreased passage success and increased exit delays, probably because of problematic hydraulic conditions near the exit. Conditions throughout the rest of the fishway were appropriate, as most fish transited to near the exit in < 1 h regardless of discharge. Fourteen species passed upstream, demonstrating the functionality of nature-like fishways on large, unregulated rivers. However, the placement of such fishways must be thoughtfully considered to ensure that they remain effective over a wide range of environmental conditions.Item Small scale denil development for use in headwater streams in southwest Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2021) Conley, Megan Elizabeth; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Kathryn Plymesser; Katey Plymesser, Kevin Kappenman, Matt Blank and Joel Cahoon were co-authors of the article, 'Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) passage through a scaled denil fishway' submitted to the journal 'Journal of fish and wildlife management' which is contained within this thesis.The Big Hole River is located in an agricultural valley in Southwest Montana and is home to the last fluvial (river dwelling) population of Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) in the contiguous United States. Grayling mostly populate the tributary streams in the upper portion of the watershed, where there are many irrigation diversions, which greatly fragments grayling's natural habitat. While many of these irrigation diversions have fish ladders installed at them to assist with habitat reconnection, these ladder become impassable when the water levels get too low in the system or irrigators chose to block the fish ladders in order to divert more water. This study investigated and characterized a smaller scale Denil fish ladder that would use less water while providing adequate fish passage. Three different flow rate calculations were applied to a series of scaled Denils to compare to the expected flow rates of the full scale Denil to determine the scaled sizes to construct. A 0.6 scale and a 0.75 scale Denil were selected and hydraulic lab testing confirmed that 25.4 cm baffle spacing was the best for both scaled models. The fish swimming study, conducted at the outdoor flume at the Bozeman Fish Technology Center, used eight hatchery-raised grayling in each of the eight treatments. Each treatment was repeated 3 times using the 0.6-scale model for a total of 24 trials with 192 fish. Each treatment used a different combination of headwater depth (between 30.5 cm and 61.0 cm) and tailwater depth (between 15.2 cm and 61.0 cm). The grayling passed with near perfect success at all headwater and tailwater combinations except when the head difference between the headwater and tailwater was at its greatest (61.0 cm headwater and 15.2 cm tailwater). This preliminary study showed that grayling are willing to pass smaller-scale structures at a variety of flow rates but did not test a wide range of slopes, age classes or fish sizes. These results should be useful to water managers when looking to modify or install new Denil fishways in the Big Hole River Basin and around the western United States.Item Hydraulics, hydrology, and resulting fish passage at the Huntley Diversion Nature-like Bypass(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2020) Tupen, Haley Noel; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Kathryn PlymesserDams and other instream structures have been constructed for hundreds of years in the United States for various purposes; these dams have the potential to 'disconnect' rivers and negatively impact fish upstream and downstream movement. Nature-like bypasses were created to facilitate movement around these structures and provide passage to a wide variety of morphologically different fish species. The Huntley Diversion Dam nature-like bypass was constructed in 2015 on the Yellowstone River, but its effectiveness has not yet been evaluated. This project aimed to evaluate its efficacy through monitoring and determining water stage, flow rates, channel roughness, and a detailed channel bathymetry. These data were then used in the creation of multiple two-dimensional hydraulic models encompassing the nature-like bypass channel and surrounding Yellowstone River area. Velocity results from these models were compared to species-specific swimming capabilities from literature for four Yellowstone River species. Additionally, hydraulics at the downstream bypass entrance were evaluated for disorienting hydraulic formations that might prevent fish from locating the bypass entrance. Velocity results indicate Sauger (Sander canadensis) may successfully ascend the bypass on all but five days of the modeled hydrograph and may face occasional difficulty in returning to their pre-spawning upstream habitat. Burbot (Lota lota), Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), and Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) are unlikely to successfully ascend the bypass for much of May, June, and July. This holds significant implications for Channel Catfish and Smallmouth Bass, both of which move upstream to spawn in the months of May and June. Hydraulics at the downstream end of the bypass indicate high attraction at high flows, but that lower flows are likely to create disorienting hydraulic characteristics at this bypass entrance and lead to low fish attraction.Item Attraction, entrance, and passage efficiency of arctic grayling, trout, and suckers at Denil fishways in the Big Hole River Basin, Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Triano, Benjamin Louis; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Thomas E. McMahonThe Big Hole River in southwest Montana supports the only indigenous, self-sustaining fluvial population of Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus) in the conterminous United States. Denil fishways have been installed at 63 low-head irrigation diversion dams throughout the basin to provide grayling and other fishes year-round access to critical habitats; however, their efficiency has not been evaluated comprehensively. We quantified attraction, entrance, and passage efficiency of grayling, trout (Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis and Brown Trout Salmo trutta), and suckers (White Sucker Catostomus commersonii and Longnose Sucker C. catostomus) at six Denil fishways during 14 trials conducted over a range of fishway slopes and hydraulic conditions. Tagged hatchery-reared grayling and wild fish of several taxa were released downstream of diversions in each trial, and upstream passage was monitored for 72 hours using passive integrated transponder telemetry. Attraction (60.4-84.3%) and entrance (44.3-78.6%) efficiencies limited overall fishway efficiencies (19.1-55.8%), but passage efficiencies (96.2-97.0%) were high for all taxa over all conditions tested. Attraction of hatchery-reared grayling was limited at fishways with shallow upstream depths (low fishway discharges) and low attraction flows, but wild trout and suckers were less limited by these effects. Entrance of grayling and trout was limited at high fishway discharges and fishways with steep slopes, but both species groups were more likely to enter fishways with deep downstream depths than those with shallow downstream depths. Entrance appeared to be limited by turbulent plunging conditions associated with shallow downstream depths. Denil fishways demonstrated great promise for improving habitat connectivity for grayling and other fishes in the Big Hole River basin; however, attraction and entrance were key bottlenecks that limited overall fishway efficiency. Maintaining high attraction flows and deep downstream depths should be the focus of adaptive management strategies and design criteria to improve overall efficiency of Denil fishways in the Big Hole basin.Item Designing and assessing the effectiveness of Denil fishways using hydraulic modeling-based approaches(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2019) Platt, Nolan Chalmers; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Kathryn Plymesser; Matt Blank, Kathryn Plymesser, Kevin Kappenman and Joel Cahoon were co-authors of the article, 'Modeling upstream arctic grayling passage through Denil fishways in the Big Hole Valley, Montana' submitted to the journal 'The journal of ecohydraulics' which is contained within this thesis.; Matt Blank, Kathryn Plymesser, Kevin Kappenman and Joel Cahoon were co-authors of the article, 'Hydraulic design of a Denil fishway at pin-and-plank irrigation diversions: a technical report' submitted to the journal 'A technical report' which is contained within this thesis.Man-made, instream structures can pose barriers to fish movement. Fish move about river systems to reach habitats associated with various stages of their life histories. If access to required habitat is blocked, it can cause detrimental effects to fish populations. Removing barriers to fish movement is often socio-economically infeasible so fishways are used to promote fish passage around barriers. Denil fishways consist of a chute for water to flow through and baffles to slow water velocities; they are a relatively cheap solution for promoting upstream fish passage over low-head barriers. The Big Hole River basin is home to the last fluvial population of Arctic Grayling in the continental United States. Per an agreement between landowners and several government organizations, Denil fishways were installed at irrigation diversions in the Big Hole Valley to provide fish volitional routes to navigate irrigation diversions. Eleven Denil fishways at irrigation diversions were evaluated for their effectiveness at passing grayling by using hydraulic modeling techniques coupled with biologic data. Hydrologic data was applied to hydraulic models to estimate water surface elevations about the Denils over time. A passage index was developed which inferred passage efficiency of the fishway based on depths at the upstream and downstream ends and assigning a 'passage condition.' Passage windows were developed which describe times when the fishways functioned to 'allow', 'limit', or 'prevent' upstream passage. Across all sites fishways were predicted to 'allow' passage 6.4% of the time, 'limit' passage 17.2% of the time, and 'prevent' passage 10.3% of the time. The modelled depth combination at fishways was 'out of range' of the passage index 66.1% of the time. A hydraulic design process was proposed with the goal of designing Denil fishways at pin-and-plank irrigation diversions to promote upstream passage at low flows. Design criteria were established, explained, and presented. One-dimensional hydraulic modeling techniques for diversions and fishways was presented and used to determine design parameter values that optimize fish passage efficiency over a broad range of instream flows. We attempted to develop a novel method of assessing Denil structures using hydraulic models; our method is useful to managers because the effectiveness of fishways was assessed by considering how they functioned over a range of instream flows and at times associated with fish movement.Item Abilities of trout to swim through highway culverts(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 1986) Belford, David AndrewItem Modeling fish passage and energy expenditure for American shad in a steeppass fishway using a computational fluid dynamics model(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2014) Plymesser, Kathryn Elizabeth; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Joel CahoonThe Alaska steeppass is a fishway used extensively in the eastern U.S. and in remote locations. The baffles in the steeppass fishway tend to reduce water velocity to magnitudes negotiable by many species. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed for common combinations of fishway slope and head pond elevation. Three-dimensional hydraulics information from the CFD model was used as a basis to predict passage success for American shad in the steeppass. The passage model considered six unique algorithms for swim path during ascent, and both the optimal swim speed approach of Castro-Santos (2005) and newly developed swim-speed information based on the laboratory study of Haro, Odeh, Castro-Santos, and Noreika (1999). The passage model was incorporated into a Monte Carlo framework to facilitate robust comparisons between the passage success predicted by the model and the experimental observations of Haro, Odeh, Castro-Santos, and Noreika (1999). The methods of Webb (1975) and Belke (1991) were then adapted to develop predictions of the energy expenditure of American shad. Findings included the observation that fish in the laboratory study did not tend to utilize the distance-optimizing prolonged swim speed of Castro-Santos (2005), but instead travelled at a faster velocity (more similar to the distance-optimizing burst speed) that resulted in significantly lower energy expenditures. The passage model did not indicate that the steeppass fishway presented a substantial velocity challenge to American shad. Comparisons of the passage model results with passage success in the study by Haro, Odeh, Castro-Santos, and Noreika (1999) led to the observation that other hydraulic factors (such as turbulence) or volitional issues should be the subject of further studies. The passage model was reformulated, creating a conceptual fishway of infinite length, to examine the distance at which model fish fail due to fatigue. The infinite-length model predicted that a fishway of 25 feet in length passed 99.0% of fish without fatigue failure. The velocity distributions from the CFD models also suggested that the zones of low velocity that existed near the bottom of the fishway under high head conditions may be desirable for successful ascent.