The project involves standardized tests with live fish at an innovative Natel FishSafe™ scale model of a “Restoration Hydro Turbine” (RHT) at the test site of the developer, Natel Energy, in California, USA.
The tests will examine potential injuries and mortality of the test fish during passage through the innovative turbine under various operating conditions. The tests include assessing the health status of control fish, documenting detailed external injuries of the treatment fish, holding fish in tanks to detect potential delayed effects, and recording abiotic environmental and turbine parameters. The findings will serve as a basis for operators and authorities to assess the future ecological compatibility of this technology.
