Review of options for creating and maintaining oxygen refuges for fish during destratification-driven hypoxia in rivers
Craig A. Boys
A B G , Darren S. Baldwin C D , Iain Ellis E , Joe Pera F and Katherine Cheshire A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Taylors Beach Road, Taylors Beach, NSW 2316, Australia.
B Institute for Land Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona, NSW 2640, Australia.
C School of Environmental Science, Charles Sturt University, Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona, NSW 2640, Australia.
D Rivers and Wetlands, Lipsett Road, Thurgoona, NSW 2640, Australia.
E New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, 32 Enterprise Way, Buronga, NSW 2379, Australia.
F WaterNSW, 169 Macquarie Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia.
G Corresponding author. Email: craig.boys@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 73(2) 200-210 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF20364
Submitted: 15 December 2020 Accepted: 1 June 2021 Published: 13 September 2021
Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2022 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Climate change, river regulation and water extraction create the conditions where destratification-driven hypoxia will become more common in rivers. Preventing this and the fish deaths that can result requires options that prevent stratification and create oxygen refuges for fish. Here we discuss aeration and mixing approaches that may help prevent fish deaths when flow-related measures are not available. The options were evaluated based on efficacy, environmental risk and readiness to be deployed cost-effectively. The options either promote mixing, aeration or both. Bubble diffusers and paddle wheels used commonly in aquaculture are unlikely to aerate already hypoxic pools. However, if deployed before stratification occurs, they may promote mixing and maintain aeration. In comparison, pumps with Venturi tubes or ultrafine oxygen bubble condensers both mix and aerate, making them suitable for use once hypoxic events are underway. Water jets are low cost and could be deployed quickly. Dosing reaches with calcium peroxide may be useful for emergency aeration, but requires further safety and efficacy testing. Flow management that maintains fish refuges and storage reserves during drought is the best way to guard against fish deaths, but if storage releases are not available, there are options for creating and maintaining oxygen refuges to minimise ecosystem damage.
Keywords: aeration, bubble diffusers, fish deaths, paddle wheels, stratification, ultrafine bubble condensers.
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