One of the major remaining challenges for providing safe two-ways passage of migrating fish past hydropower installations is cost effective downstream solutions for salmonid kelts, particularly in large river systems. To develop such solutions fundamental knowledge on the swimming behaviour of kelts is needed. We need to know what hydraulic properties attract or repel kelts.

We will perform experiments in the Laxeleratorn flume (Vattenfall, Sweden), exploring (1) the response to different velocities, fluctuations of mean flow and acceleration and (2) the behaviour at the vicinity of different racks and bypass entrances. Experimental results will be combined with field studies from the SafePass project (Orkla and Hunderfossen) to obtain a more general understanding and to develop a predictive model of kelt behaviour, as a foundation for new solutions.

The project involves a Postdoc at NINA and is supported by substantial in kind contributions from Vattenfall. A cooperation will be established with related projects at Karlstad University and SLU.