Our portable test facilities are used to evaluate behavioral deterrents and screening devices. Our engineers have designed floating and temporary shore-based test facilities for studies conducted at hydroelectric and thermal power plant water intakes. Field studies typically focus on fish protection and passage efficiency, but they also allow for assessments of engineering performance (i.e., biofouling, debris loading, O&M requirements). Alden’s environmental professionals have extensive experience with a wide range of sampling techniques and technologies that are used during laboratory and field performance testing.
We have equipment to measure and record important study parameters, such as:
- Water velocity and direction
- Sound frequency and intensity
- Head loss
- Debris loading
- Temperature
- Dissolved oxygen
- pH
- Turbidity
We also have an extensive track record in designing “fish-friendly” collection and handling systems to permit an accurate evaluation of injury and/or survival. We use state-of-the-art video systems and tagging and tracking methods to monitor:
- Fish behavior
- Entrainment and impingement
- Injury mechanisms
- Guidance efficiency
Sampling techniques and technologies commonly used by our biologists and engineers include:
- Standard flow meters
- Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV)
- High-speed video system
- Underwater video cameras, multiplexor, and digital video recording equipment (including nighttime video observations using infrared light sources)
- Digital video editing system
- PIT-tagging
- Radio telemetry
- Photonic dye and other fish marking techniques
- Fish collection techniques (live cars, tailrace nets, plankton nets)
