Engineered Currents

Downstream migrating fish often take their migration cues from the river currents and its associated turbulence. Engineered currents for fish passage are a means of diverting, whether by utilizing attractive or repellent current cues, downstream migrating fish toward safe passage routes. We patented a means of mechanically generating these currents through the use of large propellers, also known as current inducers. We have implemented this system at small (2100 cfs, 2.8 MW) and large (192 MW) projects. As shown below, the current inducer (along the wall in the foreground) is creating a surface current across the intake (shown to the right) to a gradually accelerating bypass (shown in the center of the page).

Leading Current Across Intake to Bypass