Stocking to offset negative effects of dam construction and balance the ecosystem

An ecohydraulic model system was developed to evaluate the effects of the Da-Wei dam construction and possible fish restoration strategies. The ecohydraulic model system consists of a hydrodynamic model, a hydromorphology model, a habitat model, and the logistic and matrix population models. The effects of dam construction and fish stocking strategy on fish habitat and population status were studied in the Jiao-Mu River, providing the modeled ecological status of Schizothorax prenanti and Schizothorax plagiostomus heckel populations within the river segment. The two fish species richness, fish age structures, and fish density distributions were predicted. Based on the fish number prediction, the optimal number of fish to stock was evaluated with the population models, and an optimal fish stocking proposition was worked out. The results indicated that the two fish species habitat quality and fish richness would decrease due to the hydropower dam construction, and the fish stocking strategy could make up the fish species ecological status. The findings could facilitate the quantity and quality assessment of a dam development plan and increase the success rate of fish restoration.

Automated summary

An ecohydraulic model system was developed to evaluate the effects of dam construction and fish restoration strategies. The system included hydrodynamic, hydromorphology, habitat, and population models. The study focused on the Jiao-Mu River and predicted the effects of dam construction and fish stocking on fish habitat and population. The results showed that dam construction would decrease fish habitat quality, but fish stocking could compensate for this. The findings can help assess dam development plans and improve fish restoration success rates.