Evaluation of a Prefabricated Fish Passage Design for Great Plains Fishes
Connectivity is critical for stream fish persistence, and fish passage structures are a useful conservation tool to reconnect fragmented systems. The design of fish passage structures is a tradeoff between the area available for construction, slope, and costs associated with the structure. The Longr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Fishes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/8/403 |
| _version_ | 1828715399913406464 |
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| author | Ryan M. Fitzpatrick David W. Longrie Ryan J. Friebertshauser H. Paul Foutz |
| author_facet | Ryan M. Fitzpatrick David W. Longrie Ryan J. Friebertshauser H. Paul Foutz |
| author_sort | Ryan M. Fitzpatrick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Connectivity is critical for stream fish persistence, and fish passage structures are a useful conservation tool to reconnect fragmented systems. The design of fish passage structures is a tradeoff between the area available for construction, slope, and costs associated with the structure. The Longrie–Fecteau fish passage structure was designed to be modular, adjustable to barrier-specific needs, and to have a low slope (2%) to pass small-bodied fishes. We evaluated fish passage through this structure in Fountain Creek, Colorado, USA, via a PIT tag mark–recapture study. We documented four native Great Plains fish species successfully ascending the passage structure, with most passage occurring at night. We estimated a 3% probability of a released fish entering the structure, then 89% and 99% passage to the midpoint and exit of the 123 m structure, respectively. Low entrance efficiency was due to low recapture probability of small-bodied study organisms in a relatively large system, and the low percentage of space of the entryway on this barrier (<3% of the length of the barrier). Fish that entered the structure ascended quickly, with median time for successful ascent of 19 min, and minimum time of 6 min. The Longrie–Fecteau fish passage structure is a conservation tool that may broaden the adoption of fish passage structures for small-bodied fishes due to its modularity and low slope. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:57:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6a978d47d8ba4cfc93c8a3bd7e5a8e3d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-3888 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:57:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fishes |
| spelling | doaj.art-6a978d47d8ba4cfc93c8a3bd7e5a8e3d2023-11-19T01:04:06ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882023-08-018840310.3390/fishes8080403Evaluation of a Prefabricated Fish Passage Design for Great Plains FishesRyan M. Fitzpatrick0David W. Longrie1Ryan J. Friebertshauser2H. Paul Foutz3Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 West Prospect Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526, USAColorado Springs Utilities, 1521 Hancock Expressway, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, USAColorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 West Prospect Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526, USAColorado Parks and Wildlife, 4255 Sinton Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80907, USAConnectivity is critical for stream fish persistence, and fish passage structures are a useful conservation tool to reconnect fragmented systems. The design of fish passage structures is a tradeoff between the area available for construction, slope, and costs associated with the structure. The Longrie–Fecteau fish passage structure was designed to be modular, adjustable to barrier-specific needs, and to have a low slope (2%) to pass small-bodied fishes. We evaluated fish passage through this structure in Fountain Creek, Colorado, USA, via a PIT tag mark–recapture study. We documented four native Great Plains fish species successfully ascending the passage structure, with most passage occurring at night. We estimated a 3% probability of a released fish entering the structure, then 89% and 99% passage to the midpoint and exit of the 123 m structure, respectively. Low entrance efficiency was due to low recapture probability of small-bodied study organisms in a relatively large system, and the low percentage of space of the entryway on this barrier (<3% of the length of the barrier). Fish that entered the structure ascended quickly, with median time for successful ascent of 19 min, and minimum time of 6 min. The Longrie–Fecteau fish passage structure is a conservation tool that may broaden the adoption of fish passage structures for small-bodied fishes due to its modularity and low slope.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/8/403barriersconnectivityfish passage structureFountain Creek, ColoradoGreat Plains fishes |
| spellingShingle | Ryan M. Fitzpatrick David W. Longrie Ryan J. Friebertshauser H. Paul Foutz Evaluation of a Prefabricated Fish Passage Design for Great Plains Fishes Fishes barriers connectivity fish passage structure Fountain Creek, Colorado Great Plains fishes |
| title | Evaluation of a Prefabricated Fish Passage Design for Great Plains Fishes |
| title_full | Evaluation of a Prefabricated Fish Passage Design for Great Plains Fishes |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of a Prefabricated Fish Passage Design for Great Plains Fishes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of a Prefabricated Fish Passage Design for Great Plains Fishes |
| title_short | Evaluation of a Prefabricated Fish Passage Design for Great Plains Fishes |
| title_sort | evaluation of a prefabricated fish passage design for great plains fishes |
| topic | barriers connectivity fish passage structure Fountain Creek, Colorado Great Plains fishes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/8/403 |
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