- Show all
- Asset Management
- Buoy
- Canal
- Climate Change
- Controls
- Dam Safety
- Environmental Impact
- Fish and Aquatic Resources
- Future Grid
- Generator
- Governor
- Hydraulic Forecasting
- Hydraulic Optimization
- Hydrokinetic
- Intake Gates
- Markets
- Penstock
- Regulatory Process
- Renewable Integration
- Sediment Transport
- Shoreline and Riparian Resources
- Spillgates
- Tidal
- Transmission Services
- Turbine
- Water Management
- Water Resources
- Water Systems
- Wave
- Conventional Hydro
A Methodology for Rockwad Velocity and Predator Habitat
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jenna Paul
A continuous sequence of velocity and predator refugia is imperative to the survival of out-migrating juvenile salmonids on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. Gaps in habitat along the river corridor increase the risk of predation, fatigue, stress, and reduced growth rates, and therefore, necessitate mitigation actions. However, traditional habitat enhancement methods, such as side-channel restoration, are not applicable on all reaches or during all flow conditions. Areas confined by levees, steep banks, or other topographical constraints require new methods to supplement migration habitat where it is missing or insufficient. A rockwad is a tree trunk (with root cluster) anchored to a large boulder. The boulder and root mass provide velocity and predator refugia, and therefore, allow juveniles to safely rest and eat during their emigration. Through hydrodynamic simulations, physical modeling, and fish behavior algorithms, this project will determine the optimum quantity and placement patterns to achieve suitable migration habitat conditions. It is expected that the results from this research lead to design recommendations for future habitat projects.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2022
- Marine Energy
A Miniaturized Long-Life Low Frequency Acoustic Transmitter for Fish Tracking in Marine Enviroments
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Huidong Li
The JSATS low-frequency acoustic transmitter will provide government agencies, researchers and marine energy operators a more capable tool to gain insights into marine animals’ behavior related to marine and hydrokinetic energy operations, contributing to producing environmentally sustainable, cost-effective marine energy and ensuring U.S. energy security. The development of this technology directly supports WPTO’s efforts to accelerate MHK project deployments and development of the MHK market.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Alternate Control Strategy for Dreissinids Using Carbon Dioxide
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Kevin Kelly
Can carbon dioxide be used as an environmentally neutral molluscicide for mitigation of zebra and quagga mussel macrofouling? Carbon dioxide is a natural chemical that does not require a separate or specialized production (e.g. fermentation), is already produced in large quantities, is recycled from initial combustion waste streams for good environmental stewardship, has an indefinite shelf life, nonflammable, is easy to handle and store, does not require electrical or mechanical power to deliver, and can be distributed easily and evenly in water, including hard-to-reach confined water. Through the carbonic acid/bicarbonate buffer, the change in pH of the water is limited. Addition of carbon dioxide also reduces the bioavailability of calcium in the water, thereby inhibiting shell growth. Only species that has taken up residence in the confined water (i.e. Dreissinids) would be exposed long enough to reach mortality levels. Once the water is freely exposed to the air at the outlet, purged, or the CO2 is stripped and reused, equilibrium is quickly re-established and PCO2 goes back to ambient pressure, so that it will not affect the downstream water ecology.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Alternate Control Strategy for Dreissinids Using Electrical Methods
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Kevin Kelly
Since the discovery of zebra mussels in the Laurentian Great Lakes in 1986 on natural gas well head and well markers, zebra and quagga mussels (Dreissena spp.) have spread across large areas of the continental United States. In industrial systems, control of Dreissena spp. biofouling has primarily concentrated on oxidizing and nonoxidizing chemicals. However, chemical treatments are usually not viable options in Reclamation facilities. There is a need for economical and environmentally safe control strategies for these major biofouling mussels in Reclamation raw water delivery systems. Alternative methods utilizing electricity has been shown to impact mussel behavior, including mortality and a reduction in the rate of byssogenesis (byssus attachment). Methods include electrified fields which inhibited passage of live veligers (larval life stage) and electrical currents which prevented attachments to metallic surfaces. This project proposes to carry out well established electrical testing procedures to investigate the effectiveness of electrical control methods under field conditions similar to those found in Reclamation facilities. The goals of this project are to determine and compare the electrical dosage and electrical power consumption of AC and DC applied at different waveforms (sinusoidal AC, squared DC, cycle rates, etc.) to induce quagga mussel mortality and inhibition of byssogenesis in the raw water parameters typically found in Reclamation facilities on the Lower Colorado River (LCR). Electrical dosage or power density can be determined by the measured ambient conductivity and the applied voltage gradient.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2021
- Conventional Hydro
An Analysis of Partial-Depth, Floating, Impermeable Guidance Structures for Downstream Fish Passage at Hydroelectric Facilities
Lead Companies
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Lead Researcher (s)
- Kevin Mulligan
A floating impermeable guidance structure (FIGS) for downstream fish passage is constructed as a series of partial-depth panels anchored across a river channel, reservoir, or power channel. If guidance is successful, the fish will avoid entrance to a dangerous intake structure (i.e. turbine intakes) while passing from the upstream to downstream end of a dam through a safer passage route (i.e. the bypass). To evaluate the flow field immediately upstream of a FIGS, a parameterized CFD model of an idealized power channel was constructed in ANSYS Fluent v. 14.5. The design parameters investigated were the angle and depth of the FIGS and the average approach velocity in the power channel. Key findings indicate that a FIGS set at a small angle and deep enough such that the Effective Guidance Depth of the FIGS is greater than the expected vertical distribution of fish approaching the structure will perform the best.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
complete
Completion Date
2014
- Conventional Hydro
Analysis of environmental DNA from sediments for detection of invasive dreissenid mussels
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Yale Passamaneck
The proposed work will test the utility of DNA analysis on sediments for detection of low abundance populations of invasive dreissenid mussels. Many reservoirs considered to be at low risk for establishment of invasive dreissenid mussels are sampled infrequently due to allocation of limited resources. Such infrequent sampling decreases the probability of detecting an introduction of mussels should it occur. Because DNA is expected to have a longer persistence in sediments that in open water, sampling and analysis of sediments should provide an additional means for detection of invasive dreissenid introductions in infrequently samples waters.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2022
- Conventional Hydro
Autonomous acoustic receiver system for 3D tracking and monitoring real-time fish survival
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jayson Martinez
This project is developing two technologies related to JSATS autonomous acoustic receivers: 1) a system which can be used to estimate fish survival in near real-time for optimizing hydropower operations, hereafter referred to as the Real-time Autonomous Acoustic Detection System (RAADS); 2) an advanced machine learning based 3D acoustic-tagged fish tracking system, hereafter referred to as the Machine Learning Autonomous Tracking System (MLATS).RAADS will allow detection information from acoustic-tagged fish to be broadcast from underwater autonomous acoustic receivers to a surface-based receiver that would then transmit the data to an offsite location. This will generate timely information that can be input into models that would allow metrics of fish survival and behavior to be calculated and displayed on a dashboard.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Best Practices for Mussel Control and Mitigation at Hydropower and Water Delivery Facilities
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Sherri Pucherelli
The goal of this research is to compile currently used technology and techniques for the control of invasive mussels at hydropower and water delivery facilities. The approach involves case studies across multiple agencies to identify effective technologies and strategies that have been used in order to share this information with Federal and State agencies as well as impacted stakeholders. This effort will provide facility managers with information and options to be used for planning purposes in the case that invasive mussels are detected at their facility. Mussel control and mitigation techniques are site specific and dependent upon facility design and operation, and a survey of a variety of impacted facilities across the United States may uncover techniques that can be implemented at a diverse range of Reclamation facilities.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Comparison of next-generation DNA sequencing to traditional morphological identification for environmental monitoring
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Sherri Pucherelli
This research will help determine the benefits, limitations, and accuracy of next-generation DNA sequencing in comparison to traditional taxonomic methods. Macroinvertebrate samples collected from wetlands in Folsom, CA, that were previously identified by a taxonomist, will be analyzed by next-generation sequencing (NGS). DNA will be extracted from both the isopropanol supernatant, used as the fixative and storage media for the samples, and from pooled and macerated macroinvertebrate tissue.The results of this study will help determine how next-generation sequencing can be used to benefit Reclamation projects that require environmental monitoring in response to construction activities, invasive species, habitat restoration, and water treatment.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Compendium of Close Pipe Control Technologies and Options
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Sherri Pucherelli
Reclamation must be able to manage water deliveries and generate hydro-power as its main mission. Invasive mussels impair the ability to move water in closed pipe systems. As the mussels spread in the western US, the urgent need for effective closed pipe control becomes greater. A detailed and comprehensive list of closed piped treatments will be of great benefit to facility operators.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
Don’t see your waterpower research?
Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org