The Effect of NFM In-Stream Wood Placements on Fish Movement In
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Scotland’s centre of expertise for waters The effect of natural flood management in-stream wood placements on fish movement in Scotland Scotland’s centre of expertise for waters Published by CREW – Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters. CREW connects research and policy, delivering objective and robust research and expert opinion to support the development and implementation of water policy in Scotland. CREW is a partnership between the James Hutton Institute and all Scottish Higher Education Institutes supported by MASTS. The Centre is funded by the Scottish Government. This document was produced by: Jennifer A. Dodd, Matthew Newton and Colin E. Adams, Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment (SCENE), University of Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Glasgow G63 0AW. (University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401) Please reference this report as follows: Dodd, J.A., Newton, M & Adams, C.E. (2016) The effect of natural flood management in-stream wood placements on fish movement in Scotland, CD2015_02. Available online crew.ac.uk/publications All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, modified or stored in a retrieval system without the prior written permission of CREW management. While every effort is made to ensure that the information given here is accurate, no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions or misleading statements. All statements, views and opinions expressed in this paper are attributable to the author(s) who contribute to the activities of CREW and do not necessarily represent those of the host institutions or funders. Cover photograph courtesy of: The James Hutton Institute Acknowledgements: The authors would like to extend their thanks to the members of Steering Group for their input and advice, the attendees and speakers of the workshop at Battleby on the 12th April 2016, and to Dr Colin Bull for his advice during the initial stage of the project. The authors would also like to thank Eleanor Starkey (Newcastle University) and the Haltwhistle Burn Community Project (http://research.ncl.ac.uk/ haltwhistleburn/) for providing pictures of the lattice structure. The authors do not accept responsibility and disclaims any and all liabilities for all loss, injury or damage (direct, indirect or consequential) arising out of, or in connection with, any outcomes relating to adherence with this document and to the external guidance documents referenced and/or linked to in this document. RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN Executive Summary This report provides a review and analysis of information on the passage by fish at wooden obstacles (woody placements), used RESEARCH QUESTION for flood management, in Scotland. The report covers a series of placement types ranging from those permanently in the wetted • What information is available on the passage of fish at stream channel, to those placed on side-bars which are wetted wooden obstacles in small streams? for a low proportion of the year. With an absence of ground • Using that information, produce good practice guidelines tested data, theoretical information from river-barrier assessment for the use of wood in small streams, for the purpose of flood tools combined with the output from an expert panel, provide management, to minimise the impact on fish movement. guidelines for good practice for the use of flood management woody placements in small streams, which minimise the impact MAIN FINDINGS on fish passage. • Wood used in rivers for flood management, is considered a This report should be used in conjunction with SEPA’s Natural positive step towards managing the movement of water Flood Management Handbook, which details the wider in river systems. requirements for the correct siting of woody placements. • The use of in-stream woody placements has the potential to The following steps summarise the fish specific assessment for impact fish movements. woody placements: • The physical characteristics of a woody placement that have » Identify potential site for woody placement following the potential to affect fish include space underneath guidelines provided in SEPA’s Natural Flood Management the structure, structure height, and sizes of the gaps within Handbook. the structure. » Establish whether the site is utilised by fish. This • All fish species have the potential to be affected by the use of includes sites that may only be used by fish for wooden structures, but salmonids, specifically salmon and short periods of the year. No assumption should be trout are highlighted as species of most concern. made about impassable waterfalls, as there may be isolated populations of fish (e.g. resident brown trout) • There is a lack of field-observed and empirical information on upstream. This information should be attained through the movements of fish in streams. discussion with local fisheries organisations, or through electrofishing studies if no information is available. • The impact on fish movement will be minimal if the design details within this report are followed. » If fish population present – follow guidelines. • Any wooden structure placed in a stream has the potential to » If fish population not present – woody placement design move and to change the stream topography. Thus, the not restricted to facilitate fish passage. structural characteristics of the woody placement that permit fish passage must be monitored and maintained to ensure they do not change significantly, resulting in a Wooden placements have been categorised according to structure that presents an impediment to fish passage. fish passage requirements and details about the physical characteristics, which would provide no, or a low, impediment to • This report highlights a large gap in knowledge of fine scale fish movement have been provided. The general categories for temporospatial use of stream habitat by fish. Given the woody placements are: increasing importance of managing this habitat type, there is an urgent requirement to fill this knowledge gap. Category A type placements • The findings within this report will enable organisations Simple timbers (branches removed) spanning the width of the involved with the provision of sustainable flood management stream. These structures are not hydraulically active under less options, required under the Flood Risk Management than bankfull conditions. (Scotland) Act 2009, to install in-stream woody placements that should not impede the migration of fish (in compliance Category B type placements with the Water Framework Directive). Complex timbers (branches retained) spanning the width of the BACKGROUND TO RESEARCH stream. These structures are hydraulically active under most water flow conditions. In Scotland, the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 has established a legislative framework through which the Category C type placements management of flood risk will be achieved by the delivery of more sustainable options. The use of wood in rivers to attenuate Structures that do not span the width of the river. These river flow and alleviate flooding is one such option and is structures may or may not be hydraulically active under less than currently being used by various organisations, stakeholders and bankfull conditions. communities, working together to manage flood risk. The addition of any structure to a watercourse has the potential KEY WORDS to significantly affect the local fauna and flora. At present, the Natural Flood Management, Fish Migration, Woody Placement impact on fish populations of the addition of wood to rivers, for Design the purpose of flood management, is unknown. Glossary of Terms Bankfull conditions – a non-technical term describing a level of Passability – a non-technical term describing the degree to which flow within a stream channel where the water is about to overtop an in-river structure is passable by a fish species/life-stage the banks Simple timber – a branch or tree with all the branches removed Complex timber – a branch or tree with some or all of the such that the timber is similar to a post branches retained Smolt – the life history stage of a juvenile salmon or trout when Downstream migration - the general (active or passive) movement an individual becomes silver in appearance and migrates from downstream of fish usually, but not always, associated with freshwaters to the sea for the first time specific stages of a species life history (e.g. downstream migration of salmon or trout smolts; downstream movement of silver eels) Woody placement – an arrangement of wooden timbers used within and/or across the stream channel Free passage – the unrestricted movement of fish to fulfil all essential elements of their life-cycle, such as growth and Upstream migration – the active movement upstream of fish reproduction* usually, but not always, associated with specific stages of a species life history (e.g. upstream migration of adult salmon or trout to High flow – a non-technical term referring to river flows that are spawning grounds; upstream movement of juvenile eels) elevated from the average conditions, for that time of year Vertical height – the physical height of a woody structure from its Hydraulic head/height – the difference in water level between lowermost point to the highest point (cf hydraulic height) either the water flowing over a structure, or the height of a structure (whichever is higher) to the top of the water level *SEPA guidelines regarding engineering works within river immediately below a structure (cf vertical height) systems “The authorised activities should