Research and Design for Passage of the Emerald Shiner

Passage of the Emerald Shiner in the Niagara River and tributaries is obstructed due to impassable water velocities, hastened by hardened shorelines. The Emerald Shiner is a prey fish and a critical component of the Niagara River and Lake Erie food web, as codified in the Fish Community Objectives developed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Fish Community Objectives define delisting targets for the Degradation of Fish Populations Beneficial Use Impairment for the Niagara River Remedial Action Plan. Small fish passage is an emerging area of study and requires thorough research and investigation prior to project implementation. This project requires highly specialized equipment and advanced experience involving fine scale hydraulic engineering research. The use of a hydraulic flume is a critical requirement for accomplishment of the scope of work. The Wilkeson Hydraulic (Flume) Laboratory at the University at Buffalo occupies approximately 1200 sq ft, and has the following major equipment and instrumentation: 10-m long, 0.5-m wide, and 0.5-m deep tilting re-circulating flume; mixing box; particle image Velocimetry system; acoustic Doppler and electromagnetic current meters and bucket-wheel current meters; and acoustic bed profilers, stage recorders, bed load and suspended sediment samplers, turbidity meters, and surveying instrumentation.