Mactaquac Aquatic Ecosystem Study Report Series 2018-024 Fish Passage at Tobique-Narrows, Beechwood, and Mactaquac Hydropower Generating Facilities in the Saint John River System, New Brunswick. Adam Chateauvert, Tommi Linnansaari, Kurt Samways, and R. Allen Curry October 2018 MAES Report Series 2018-024 Correct citation for this publication: Chateauvert, C.A., T. Linnansaari, K. Samways, and R. Allen Curry. 2018. Fish Passage at Tobique- Narrows, Beechwood, and Mactaquac Hydropower Generating Facilities in the Saint John River System, New Brunswick. Mactaquac Aquatic Ecosystem Study Report Series 2018-024. Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, 52 p. DISCLAIMER Intended Use and Technical Limitations of this report, “Fish Passage at Tobique-Narrows, Beechwood, and Mactaquac Hydropower Generating Facilities in the Saint John River System, New Brunswick”. This report describes the configuration of the Tobique-Narrows, Beechwood, and Mactaquac hydropower generating and dam facilities highlighting the fish passage structures and operations. The CRI does not assume liability for any use of the included information outside the stated scope. ii | Page MAES Report Series 2018-024 Contents Executive Summary.................................................................................................................................... v 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Objective ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.3 Scope ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Description of Hydropower Facilities and Dams in the Saint John River System ........... 2 2.1 Tobique-Narrows ....................................................................................................................................... 2 2.1.1 Background..................................................................................................................................................... 2 2.1.2 The Dam ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1.3 Intake Structure ............................................................................................................................................ 3 2.1.4 Spillway ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 2.1.5 Capacity ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 2.1.6 Reservoir ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Beechwood ................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.2.1 Background..................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.2.2 The Dam ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.2.3 Intake Structure ............................................................................................................................................ 4 2.2.4 Spillway ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 2.2.5 Capacity ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 2.2.6 Reservoir ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Mactaquac ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3.1 Background..................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3.2 The Dam ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3.3 Intake Structure ............................................................................................................................................ 5 2.3.4 Spillway ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.3.5 Capacity ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.3.6 Reservoir ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 3. Fish Passage Facilities and Operation at Select Dams in the Saint John River System . 7 3.1 Tobique-Narrows ....................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Beechwood ................................................................................................................................................... 8 3.3 Mactaquac ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 4. Fisheries Management and Dams in the Saint John River System .....................................10 4.1 Atlantic Salmon .......................................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Other Species .............................................................................................................................................. 12 5. Trends in Captures and Abundance at Select Dams in the Saint John River System ...14 5.1 Atlantic Salmon ........................................................................................................................................ 14 5.2 Gaspereau (Alewife and Blueback Herring) .................................................................................. 18 5.3 American Shad ......................................................................................................................................... 19 5.4 Striped Bass ............................................................................................................................................... 22 5.5 Sea Lamprey .............................................................................................................................................. 23 iii | Page MAES Report Series 2018-024 5.6 American Eel ............................................................................................................................................. 23 6. Fish Passage Studies in the Saint John River System ..............................................................25 6.1 Downstream Migration ......................................................................................................................... 25 6.1.1 Turbine and Spillway Passage ............................................................................................................. 25 6.1.2 Whole System Mortality Estimates .................................................................................................... 27 6.1.3 Delayed Migration..................................................................................................................................... 28 6.2 Upstream Migration ............................................................................................................................... 30 6.2.1 Fishway Mortality ..................................................................................................................................... 30 6.2.2 Fishway Efficiency .................................................................................................................................... 31 6.2.3 Delayed Migration..................................................................................................................................... 33 6.3 Gas Supersaturation – A Bidirectional Passage Issue ................................................................ 35 7. References ..............................................................................................................................................35 Appendix A – Summary of fish passage and monitoring studies, Saint John River ...........41 iv | Page MAES Report Series 2018-024 Executive Summary Dams have long been a ubiquitous feature in rivers