Fish Passage Evaluation and Restoration

We are global leaders in fishway assessments, and evaluations of fish passage efficiency and performance. Using telemetry to track fish movement and by monitoring behaviour and activity using underwater cameras we make recommendations for design improvements based on hydraulics and target species swimming abilities to optimize passage performance at both technical and nature-like fishways.

Example fish passage assessments and evaluations conducted by Biotactic:

  • Beaver River, Thornbury Dam fishway, Rainbow Trout and Chinook Salmon
  • Saugeen River, Maple Hill Hydro-Generating Dam fishway, Rainbow Trout
  • Roberts Lake Outflow, remediated boulder garden, Arctic Char and Lake Trout
  • Bearhole Lake, Dam fishway, Largescale Sucker and Northern Pike
  • Hillsburgh Dam, fishway feasibility and design, Brook Trout
  • San Juan River, potential passage solutions, Razorback Sucker and Colorado Pikeminnow
  • Shebeshekong River, Young's rapids bypass design and construction, Walleye and White Sucker
  • Thames River, Springbank Dam gate reconstruction, White Sucker, Shorthead Redhorse and Smallmouth Bass
  • Grand River, Mannheim weir fishways, entire warm-water fish community
  • Grand River, Dunnville Dam fishway, Walleye
  • Welland River, multiple barrier removal/remediation studies, White Sucker and Walleye
  • Oswego Creek, Canborough weir bypass channel, Northern Pike
  • Welland River, Port Davidson weir bypass channel, Northern Pike
  • Tittabawassee River, Dow Dam fishway, Walleye
Thornbury Dam nature-like fishway upstream view
Thornbury dam
Thornbury dam nature-like fishway downstream view
Underwater cameras have been used to monitor trends in fish passage at the Thornbury Fishway (Beaver River) since 2011. A radiotelemetry passage efficiency study was also conducted.
bypass channel construction plan
bypass channel reconstruction
Bypass channel designed and contructed by Biotactic to restore Walleye migration around a waterfall within the Shebeshekong River.