Welcome to WaRP, NHA’s Waterpower Research Portal.

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.

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.