Perspective on the risk that sediment-laden ice poses to in-stream tidal turbines in Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy

Sanderson, Brian G.; Redden, Anna M.

doi:10.1016/j.ijome.2015.01.006

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…This was possible because the Annapolis River has a small estuary surrounded by people. In Minas Passage and at other instream turbine sites the pre‐operational environment and the effects of test turbines on fishes are being studied (Tollit et al, 2011; Redden et al, ; Lewis et al, ; Bevelhimer et al, ) but the remoteness, depth and properties of the physical environment makes environmental monitoring difficult (Sanderson & Redden, ; FORCE, ). The effects of instream propeller turbines will be difficult to observe and may not be obvious until too late to reverse.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term effect of a tidal, hydroelectric propeller turbine on the populations of three anadromous fish species

Dadswell

Spares

McLean

et al. 2018

Journal of Fish Biology

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Tidal hydroelectric power has been proposed as one potential solution for sustainable energy sources. The first tidal turbine in North America began continuous operation in the Annapolis River estuary (44 °45'N; 65° 29'W) in June, 1985. The machine is an axial-flow, hydraulic-lift propeller turbine, a type known to cause fish mortality. Anadromous populations of American shad Alosa sapidissima, striped bass Morone saxatilis and Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus utilize the Annapolis River for spawning and other life history phases. After power generation commenced obvious turbine mortalities of these fishes began appearing downstream of the turbine. Assessments of the A. sapidissima adult spawning runs during 1981-1982 (pre-operation) and 1989-1996 (operational) indicated significant changes in population characteristics after power generation began. Adult length, mass, age and per cent repeat spawners declined and total instantaneous mortality (Z) increased from 0.30 to 0.55. The pre-turbine spawning runs had older fish with numerous adult cohorts whereas by 12 years after operation began runs consisted of younger fish with fewer adult cohorts. During 1972-1987 numerous studies indicated the Annapolis River had an important angling fishery for M. saxatilis, but detailed annual records kept by a fishing contest during 1983-1987 and an elite angler family during the period 1976-2008 demonstrated a rapid decline in the number of fish >4.0 kg after turbine operation began. Pre-turbine catch by the angling family of fish >4.0 kg accounted for 84.1% of total catch, but declined significantly to 39.6% of total catch from 1986-1999, and to none from 2000-2008. The existence of an A. oxyrinchus stock in the Annapolis River was unknown before turbine operation, but during 1985-2017, 21 mortalities were recovered by chance seaward of the turbine. Mechanical strike and cavitation mortalities consisted of juveniles, mature males and gravid and spent females of ages 10 to 53 years found during June to October, the period when this anadromous species returns to its natal river to spawn. The results of the long-term studies at Annapolis indicate managers should realize substantial risks exist for the fish resources of the world's oceans from deployment of instream propeller turbines.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term effect of a tidal, hydroelectric propeller turbine on the populations of three anadromous fish species

Dadswell

Spares

McLean

et al. 2018

Journal of Fish Biology

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“…During late winter, mobile surface ice is commonly observed moving through the passage on the outgoing and incoming tides (Parker et al 2007). This ice is largely generated in the creeks and on the shores of the Minas Basin where it becomes sediment-laden yet remains buoyant (Sanderson and Redden 2015 Fig 1). VEMCO V16P-4H transmitters (randomized signal delay between 45 and 95 seconds, estimated battery life of 774 days, 71 mm long, power output of 158 dB re 1 µPa at 1 m, and weight of 26 g in air) were surgically implanted in 17 Striped Bass, ranging in size from 0.52 -0.87 m (fork length) and 1.69 -2.52 kg.…”

Section: Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Winter presence and temperature-related diel vertical migration of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in an extreme high-flow passage in the inner Bay of Fundy

Keyser

Broome

Bradford

et al. 2016

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

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During a multiyear fish tracking study, subadult and adult life stages of Shubenacadie River striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were detected throughout winter in the well-mixed, hypertidal waters of the Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy. Thirty-five percent of the striped bass tagged with Vemco V16 transmitters were detected by two Minas Passage receiver arrays. Transmissions were received on 82% of winter days (December to April) and by all receivers spanning the width of the passage. Tagged striped bass were detected largely within the top 20–40 m during the day. The extent of vertical migration to shallower waters at night showed a strong relationship with water temperature; however, there was no diel vertical movement pattern observed at water temperatures <1 °C. Our results demonstrate overwintering of a portion of the Shubenacadie River striped bass population in high-flow inner Bay of Fundy waters, which extends the northern limit of this species’ winter marine range. This study is also the first to describe the relationship between daily vertical migration by striped bass and low water temperatures. Both findings suggest an elevated potential risk of interaction with an in-stream tidal turbine facility in Minas Passage.

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“…This includes effects on trapping and dispersion of fish eggs, larvae, nutrients, and suspended sediments (Edwards et al, 2006). But it may also serve specific objectives like transport predictions of (i) drifters potentially harmful to structures' blades or (ii) polluting substances accidentally released by devices (Sanderson and Redden, 2015). Transport studies in stream energy sites were, however, primarily dedicated to changes induced by turbines on sediment transport (e.g., Neill et al, 2012;Fairley et al, 2015;Thiébot et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the Effects of Tidal Turbines on Water-Mass Transport with the Lagrangian Barycentric Method

Guillou

Chapalain

2020

Springer Water

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Characterising circulation pathways in tidal stream energy sites is fundamental to evaluate the effects of turbines power extraction on long-term water-mass transport. The Lagrangian residual currents are commonly used to assess the displacement of water particles over the tidal period. The associated circulation is, however, characterised by a strong dispersion as water particles may follow different trajectories depending on the release time during a tidal cycle. In order to obtain a synthetic cartography of the Lagrangian circulation, Salomon et al. (1988) proposed an original method that allocates the residual currents at the barycentre of particle trajectories. This Lagrangian barycentric method was here applied to the Fromveur Strait (western Brittany)-a region with strong potential for turbine farm implementation along the coast of France. A high-resolution depth-averaged numerical model computed the tidal circulation driven by the principal lunar semi-diurnal constituent M2. The initial particle positions were taken at the 14,026 nodes of the unstructured computational grid surrounding the area of interest with a spatial resolution below 50 m. In the strait, the residual Lagrangian circulation was characterised by a strong asymmetry between (i) a prominent northeastern pathway with residual currents up to 0.45 ms-1 and (ii) a southward circulation. Both upstream and downstream the strait, we exhibited prominent cyclonic and anti-cyclonic recirculations. A close correlation was found between the north eddy and a prominent sand bank. We simulated the forces induced by a series of horizontal-axis turbines as an additional bed friction sink term at the scale of the tidal farm. The extraction of tidal stream energy modified the amplitude and direction of the Lagrangian circulation along the current stream emerging from the strait with (i) a tendency for surrounding eddies to get closer to the tidal stream energy site and (ii) possible effects on the evolution of surrounding seabed features.

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Perspective on the risk that sediment-laden ice poses to in-stream tidal turbines in Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy

Cited by 12 publications

References 14 publications

Long‐term effect of a tidal, hydroelectric propeller turbine on the populations of three anadromous fish species

Long‐term effect of a tidal, hydroelectric propeller turbine on the populations of three anadromous fish species

Winter presence and temperature-related diel vertical migration of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in an extreme high-flow passage in the inner Bay of Fundy

Evaluating the Effects of Tidal Turbines on Water-Mass Transport with the Lagrangian Barycentric Method

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