Evaluating migratory fish passage at partial migration barriers in a social-ecological riverscape
This study examines fish passage mitigation at three low-head dams on the Cape Fear River, North Carolina, using acoustic telemetry and Bayesian models. Results show higher passage for American shad and striped bass under conservation locking, while recent reliance on environmental flows led to reduced migration success, underscoring the need for integrated management strategies.
Subject Tags
- Rivers
- Fisheries
Abstract
Anthropogenic partial barriers, such as low-head locks and dams, fragment social-ecological riverscapes and limit migratory fish access to historical spawning habitats, creating trade-offs between ecological conservation and human needs. Fish passage mitigation strategies at three low-head locks and dams (LD1, LD2, and LD3) on the Cape Fear River, North Carolina (USA), across two contrasting mitigation regimes (2013–2015 and 2022–2023) included (i) a nature-like fishway at LD1 (original and modified designs), (ii) conservation locking at LD2 and LD3, and (iii) environmental flow (e-flow) prescriptions (i.e., dam submergence flows) when locks were inoperable. We evaluated passage of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) and striped bass (Morone saxatilis) using acoustic telemetry and multistate models within a Bayesian framework to estimate upstream passage probabilities under varying flow conditions and management regimes. Passage probabilities for both species were higher in 2013–2015 when conservation locking was conducted. In contrast, passage declined when locks were inoperable and only e-flows allowed passage during dam submergence events in 2022–2023. Flow positively influenced passage, with strongest effects for striped bass; however, the nature-like fishway exhibited consistently low passage probability, and modifications did not improve passage probabilities. Given low passage probabilities during the recent mitigation period, improving longitudinal connectivity for diadromous fish in this river necessitates flexible, integrated operational, structural, and flow-based strategies. Possible future mitigation actions to improve fish passage could include resuming conservation locking (operational), structural interventions such as bypass channel construction and dam height lowering that extends dam submergence, and continued use of e-flows (flow-based).
Citation
Bunch, A. J., Hershey, H. J., DeVries, D. R., Raabe, J. K., Scharf, F. S., Rachels, K. T., ... & Farmer, T. M. (2026). Evaluating migratory fish passage at partial migration barriers in a social-ecological riverscape. Ecological Engineering, 227, 107980.
TNC Authors
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Aaron J. Bunch
NC Coastal Applied Scientist. North Carolina
The Nature Conservancy
Email: aaron.bunch@tnc.org -
Julie E. DeMeester
Freshwater and Coastal Programs Director. North Carolina
The Nature Conservancy
Email: julie.demeester@tnc.org