Overview of typical compensation measures and results of the monitoring campaign on the Upper at two HPPs

10.09.2018 / FIThydro, / Jochen Ulrich Overview Upper Rhine HPP and Ryburg-Schwörstadt (Average discharge Upper Rhine: 1030 m³/s)

HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt

HPP Rheinfelden

Basel

Lake Constance

10.09.2018 2 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Overview Upper Rhine HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt (max. 1460 m³/s, 120 MW, production: 760 Mio. kWh/a)

10.09.2018 3 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich In total 17 compensation measures (to get new approval / no technical changes4 at the HPP) 12.08.2014 B. Karrer Overview Upper Rhine HPP Rheinfelden (max. 1500 m³/s, 100 MW, production: 600 Mio. kWh/a)

10.09.2018 5 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Former HPP Rheinfelden – Construction: 1894-1898 …biggest river power plant at that time // Main changes and impacts of new HPP

Higher Water level +1,4m -> changes in hydraulics and ground water

Loss of rock formation and habitat

10.09.2018 6 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Rheinfelden hydro power projekt Overview after construction / Overview fishways In total more than 80 compensation measures

Roughened fischway

Near-nature water course Vertical-Slot fishway

10.09.2018 7 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Overview compensation measures Examples will be shown in the presentation

• Fish passage (technical or near-nature fishways) • Residual flow / Minimum flow • Reconnecting oxbows, flood plains and small tributaries • Renaturation • Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed • Specific measures to the protection of species • Ground water • Cultural Heritage • Landscape / Recreation

10.09.2018 8 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Fish passage / Minimum flow / Habitat structures Ecological functions of the near-nature water course / Separate turbine for minimum flow purposes

Ecological functions: • Riffles built out of gravel (spawning ground for common nase and barbel) • Pools with gravel banks (habitat for different species) • Deeper flow path (to ensure Separate turbine 30m³/s fish passage) to ensure minimum flow on the rocks (to save • Ecologically effective spezialised species of habitat structures (Gravel moss ) islands, rootstocks, trees, …) (positive results in the last monitoring period!)

10.09.2018 9 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Fish passage HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt Two entrances with connection to the river bed and attraction flow

300 kW turbine / electricity + attraction flow

3D Graphic- Tailrace HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt The attraction flow is generated by the discharge of a separately built 300 kW - turbine 10.09.2018 10 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich HPP Rheinfelden Results of fish counting

Fish passage Upper Rhine 2005-2006 compared with the results of the 2012-2013 and 2016-2017 fish countings in Rheinfelden

2016-2017

Quelle: Guthruf 2017 Quelle: Aquarius 2013

10.09.2018 11 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Comparison of the results of the Rheinfelden 2012- 2013 fish counting with the counting 2005/2006 Upper Rhine, total number of species

The counting 2016-2017 showed almost the same Quelle: Aquarius 2013 results like the 2012-2013-counting 10.09.2018 12 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Results fish counting – Length of the registered fish (logarithmic diagram)

Quelle: Aquarius 2013

10.09.2018 13 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Comparision of the migrating species in the two fishways (left: water course, right: vertical slot)

• Near-nature water course: 34 species Quelle: Aquarius 2013 • Vertical slot: 24 species  Different abundance of species

10.09.2018 14 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Fish passage HPP Rheinfelden Fish counting - summary

• High number of migrating fish • Very high number of species • Abundance of rare species has significantly grown • No selectivity • Target species are present

• Similar results at the HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt

10.09.2018 15 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed Gravel deposits / 1500 m³ every two years

10.09.2018 16 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Structural diversity on the shore and in the river bed

Quelle: Aquarius 2018 10.09.2018 17 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed Gravel deposits

Objectives: • Spawning ground, reactivation of sediment transportation

Results monitoring: • More gravel on the river banks and the river bed:  • But only few greylings in the initial feeding stage • Spawning ground only in small quantities, gravel is eroded within short time

Optimization of the measures: • Find a better site • Coordination on the whole Upper Rhine

10.09.2018 18 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed Artificial erosion of river banks

Quelle: Aquarius 2018 10.09.2018 19 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed Artificial erosion of river banks

Objectives: • Structure, small bays, trees as habitat

Results monitoring: • Small scale gravel deposits • Greylings an barbels

Optimization of the measures : • none • From time to time: remove vegetation

10.09.2018 20 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Reconnecting flood plain (Aue Wallbach)

Quelle: Aquarius 2018 10.09.2018 21 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Reconnecting flood plain (Aue Wallbach)

Objectives: • Dynamic, Structure, new oxbow, more habitats and retreat areas for juveniles and small species

Results of monitoring: • Sedimentation in the upper part, no more oxbow, but now backwater • High fish density and many species – high improvement • Valuable retreat area and habitat for juveniles and small species

Optimization of the measures: • Backwater – very valuable – no measure to ensure reactivation of oxbo • If sedimentation goes on – take some measures to ensure the backwater habitat.

10.09.2018 22 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich HPP Rheinfelden Monitoring vegetation

2013: Succession area 2016: Quelle: Ruess 2017 More vegetation on the Succession areas

10.09.2018 23 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich HPP Rheinfelden Monitoring vegetation Results – total species

total species:

2010: 251

2013: 318

2016: 335

Highest level in succession areas and meadows

Quelle: Ruess 2017

10.09.2018 24 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich HPP Rheinfelden Monitoring vegetation Results – total number of endangered species (CH)

Endangered species (CH):

2010: 14

2013: 28

2016: 30

Highest level in succession areas and meadows

Quelle: Ruess 2017

10.09.2018 25 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Results landscape – slightly improved in the whole perimeter

Low quality High quality

Low quality Medium quality

Quelle: Ruess 2017

10.09.2018 26 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Results landscape – slightly improved in the whole perimeter But also some places with lower quality

Low quality

High quality

Quelle: Ruess 2017

10.09.2018 27 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Monitoring HPP Rheinfelden Birds

Goosander family close to the rock formation Great Crested Greep is breeding at the intake of the near-nature water course

Quelle: Ruess 2018

10.09.2018 28 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Monitoring HPP Rheinfelden Birds

Artificial erosion sites are breeding places for the kingfisher

10.09.2018 29 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich Compensation measures at HPP Rheinfelden and HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt Summary

• The results in upstream migration, vegetation and landscape are very good. • Most of the results in fauna are good as well, some of the measures probably take some time to reach full ecological function. • Most of the measures to improve the structural diversity of the shore and the river bed are very successful: i.e. artificial erosion, trees, oxbows/backwater. High fish density in these places. • Finding the right place for gravel deposits that result in spawning grounds for greylings seems to be difficult.

• Overall the compensation measures at the HPP Rheinfelden and Ryburg- Schwörstadt are very successful and improve the habitat of terrestrical and aquatic species significantly.

10.09.2018 30 FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich