A fishway system based on water replenishment end fish gathering and transfer
By introducing upstream controllable water replenishment units and mechanical transfer devices into the fishway system, a stable fish gathering area is formed, which solves the problems of outlet adaptability and flow control of traditional fishways under the fluctuation of water level in high-head reservoirs, and improves the fish traverse rate and ecological protection benefits.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CHINA WATER NORTHEASTERN INVESTIGATION DESIGN & RES
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-29
AI Technical Summary
Traditional interconnected fishways have poor outlet adaptability and are difficult to control internal flow patterns under conditions of high water head and large reservoir water level fluctuations, resulting in a low success rate of fish swimming upstream, which is especially unfavorable for fish with weak swimming ability and juvenile fish.
The fish collection and transfer system at the water supply end with a non-connected structure regulates the water flow through the upstream controllable water supply unit to form a stable fish collection area, and uses a mechanical transfer device to transfer the fish to the upstream reservoir to avoid the impact of downstream water level fluctuations.
It achieves stable control of the hydraulic environment within the fishway, reduces the energy consumption of fish, and improves the success rate of fish passage. In particular, it has ecological protection benefits for rare fish and juvenile fish. The system has a simple structure and strong adaptability.
Smart Images
Figure CN122106033A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the fields of water conservancy and hydropower engineering and ecological protection technology, specifically to a fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water replenishment end. Background Technology
[0002] Restoring fish migration channels is crucial for maintaining the health of river ecosystems. Traditional fish passage facilities, such as technically mature vertical slot fishways, Daniell fishways, and natural-looking passages, are based on the principle of constructing a waterway with suitable hydraulic conditions that connects upstream and downstream, allowing fish to swim upstream using their own swimming abilities.
[0003] However, in water conservancy projects with high water heads and reservoirs experiencing significant seasonal fluctuations in water levels (up to tens of meters), traditional interconnected fishways face insurmountable challenges: 1) Poor outlet adaptability: Fishway outlets must adapt to large fluctuations in reservoir water levels through complex submerged, sliding, or segmented structures, resulting in complex engineering structures, high costs, and susceptibility to operational reliability issues. 2) Difficulty in maintaining stable internal flow: The water depth, flow velocity, and flow pattern within the fishway are jointly determined by the upstream and downstream water level differences. When upstream water levels fluctuate significantly, it is difficult to maintain an optimal and stable upstream environment for various target fish species throughout the entire operation period, often resulting in flow velocities that are too fast (fish cannot swim upstream) or too slow (insufficient fish-attracting power). 3) Low success rate of fish upstream migration: Long-distance, high-drop continuous upstream migration is extremely physically demanding for fish, especially for fish with weak swimming abilities, juvenile fish, and post-spawning parent fish, leading to low overall fish passage efficiency.
[0004] To address these issues, "fish collection" techniques have emerged, such as setting up fish collection pits in the middle and lower reaches of fishways and using nets or pumps to collect and transport the fish. However, these techniques are mostly used as supplementary or remedial measures, as the hydraulic conditions at the fish collection point are still directly affected by the downstream water level, and the transfer operation may cause stress to the fish.
[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of fish passage system that can completely break free from the constraints of upstream water level fluctuations and provide fish with a fully controllable and low-energy-consumption upstream environment. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fishway system for collecting and transporting fish at the water supply end, in order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings in the prior art.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:
[0008] A fishway system based on end-water replenishment for fish collection and transfer includes a fishway body and an upstream reservoir. The fishway body includes an upstream end and a downstream end. The downstream end is equipped with a fish-attracting inlet, and its upstream end is a closed end, which is not directly connected to the upstream reservoir. An upstream controllable water replenishment unit is used to draw water from the upstream reservoir and regulate the flow rate and energy of the drawn water before delivering it to the upstream closed end area of the fishway body. An end-water fish collection and mechanical transfer unit is set in the upstream closed end area of the fishway body to receive the water flow regulated by the upstream controllable water replenishment unit to form a stable fish collection area and transfer the fish gathered in the fish collection area to the upstream reservoir.
[0009] The above-mentioned fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end includes an upstream controllable water supply unit comprising: a water intake component, which includes an inlet and an outlet; the inlet is located in the upstream reservoir; a flow regulation component, located on the water intake component, for regulating the water intake flow; and an energy dissipation component, located downstream of the outlet of the water intake component, for dissipating the energy of the introduced high-energy water flow.
[0010] In the above-mentioned fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end, the energy dissipation component is an energy dissipation pool, and the downstream of the energy dissipation pool is directly formed or connected to the fish collection area.
[0011] The aforementioned fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end also includes a control system. The control system is signal-connected to the water level monitoring device and the flow control component located in the upstream reservoir. It is used to automatically adjust the flow control component according to the changes in the water level of the upstream reservoir to maintain the stability of the outflow or velocity of the fish collection area.
[0012] The aforementioned fishway system based on end-point fish collection and transfer includes an end-point fish collection and mechanical transfer unit comprising: a collection device for capturing fish gathered in the collection area; and a transport device for transporting the captured fish from the collection area to a release point in the upstream reservoir.
[0013] The above-mentioned fishway system based on water supply end for fish collection and transfer includes a collection device that is a liftable fish collection net cage and a transport device that is a rail-mounted fish transport vehicle, a cable car, or a live fish transport vehicle.
[0014] The above-mentioned fishway system based on the water supply end for fish collection and transfer has a fish-friendly material for the bottom and side walls of the fish collection area, and its volume is designed according to the size and number of the target fish to provide resting space.
[0015] The above-mentioned fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end has a fish collection area located downstream of the energy dissipation component and connected to the upstream end of the fishway body. The upstream end of the fish collection area is equipped with a movable fish barrier, and the downstream end is equipped with a fixed fish barrier, which is used to isolate the fish collection area during the transfer operation and prevent fish from escaping.
[0016] The above-mentioned fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end includes a collection device comprising a liftable fish collection net box located at the bottom of the fish collection area; a flow control component comprising a water intake pipe with a flow control valve installed on the water intake pipe for precisely adjusting the water intake flow; and an energy dissipation pool connected to the water intake pipe.
[0017] The above-mentioned fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end includes a control system comprising a water level sensor installed on the bank of the upstream reservoir to monitor the reservoir water level. The signal from the water level sensor and the actuator of the flow control valve are both connected to the control system.
[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are:
[0019] 1. In this invention, the internal hydraulic environment of the fishway is completely decoupled from the downstream water level by using a "non-connected structure + independent upstream water supply". The flow velocity, water depth and flow pattern of the fish gathering area and the entire fishway are uniquely controlled by the upstream water supply unit, and are not affected by downstream tides, floods or power station tailwater fluctuations. This enables long-term, stable and optimized operation with extremely high fish attraction efficiency.
[0020] 2. In this invention, there is no need to connect to the drastically fluctuating reservoir surface, completely avoiding the problems of "adjustable outlets" that are costly, structurally complex, and difficult to operate and maintain. The system structure is fundamentally simplified, and it has a natural adaptability to water level fluctuations of tens of meters or even larger.
[0021] 3. In this invention, the entire elevation difference that fish must overcome is broken down into two parts: "short-distance swimming" and "easy transportation." Fish only need to complete the relatively short and favorable upstream journey from downstream to the fish collection area, while the most energy-intensive elevation difference is handled by pressureless mechanical transport. This significantly reduces the physical threshold and stress level for fish passage, particularly benefiting rare fish, juvenile fish, and exhausted parent fish, thus significantly improving ecological protection benefits. Furthermore, it is flexible, reliable, and highly adaptable: the water supply flow and transport frequency can be adjusted as needed. Each unit of the system is relatively independent, facilitating maintenance. This principle can be widely applied to newly constructed high dams and can also serve as a modification or supplementary solution when traditional fishways are ineffective. Attached Figure Description
[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.
[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the plan layout of a fishway system based on the water supply end for fish collection and transfer according to the present invention.
[0024] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a fishway system based on water supply end for fish collection and transfer according to the present invention.
[0025] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a fishway system based on water supply end for fish collection and transfer according to the present invention.
[0026] In the diagram: 1-Upstream reservoir; 2-Downstream river channel; 3-Fishway body; 4-Fish inlet; 5-Water intake pipeline; 6-Flow control valve; 7-Energy dissipation pool; 8-Fish collection area; 9-Liftable fish collection net cage; 10-Mountable fish barrier; 11-Fixed fish barrier; 12-Water level sensor; 13-Control system Detailed Implementation
[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0028] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this embodiment provides a fishway system based on end-water replenishment for fish collection and transfer, including a fishway body 3 and an upstream reservoir 1. The fishway body 3 includes an upstream end and a downstream end. The downstream end is provided with a fish-attracting inlet 4, and its upstream end is a closed end, which is not directly connected to the upstream reservoir. An upstream controllable water replenishment unit is used to draw water from the upstream reservoir 1 and regulate the flow rate and energy of the drawn water before transporting it to the upstream closed end area of the fishway body 3. An end-water fish collection and mechanical transfer unit is set in the upstream closed end area of the fishway body 3 to receive the water flow regulated by the upstream controllable water replenishment unit to form a stable fish collection area 8, and to transfer the fish gathered in the fish collection area 8 to the upstream reservoir 1.
[0029] In this invention, the upstream controllable water replenishment unit includes: a water intake component, which includes an inlet and an outlet; the inlet is located in the upstream reservoir 1; a flow regulation component, which is located on the water intake component and is used to regulate the water intake flow; and an energy dissipation component, which is located downstream of the outlet of the water intake component and is used to dissipate the energy of the introduced high-energy water flow.
[0030] Specifically, the energy dissipation component is an energy dissipation pool 7, an energy dissipation well, or an energy dissipation box, and its downstream is directly formed or connected to the fish collection area 8.
[0031] The present invention also includes a control system, which is signal-connected to the water level monitoring device and the flow control component located in the upstream reservoir 1, and is used to automatically adjust the flow control component according to the changes in the water level of the upstream reservoir 1 in order to maintain the stability of the outflow or velocity of the fish collection area.
[0032] The terminal fish collection and mechanical transfer unit includes: a collection device for capturing fish gathered in the fish collection area 8; and a transport device for transporting the captured fish from the fish collection area 8 to the release point in the upstream reservoir 1. The collection device is a liftable fish collection net cage 9, a pump suction system, or a fish guide grid; the transport device is a rail-mounted fish transport vehicle, a cable car, or a live fish transport vehicle.
[0033] The bottom and side walls of the fish collection area 8 are made of fish-friendly materials, and its volume is designed according to the size and number of the target fish to provide resting space.
[0034] The fish collection area 8 is located downstream of the energy dissipation component and is connected to the upstream end of the fishway body 3. The upstream end of the fish collection area 8 is provided with a movable fish barrier 10, and the downstream end is provided with a fixed fish barrier 11, which is used to isolate the fish collection area 8 during the transfer operation and prevent fish from escaping.
[0035] The collection device includes a liftable fish collection net box 9, which is located at the bottom of the fish collection area 8; the flow control component includes a water inlet pipe 5, on which a flow control valve 6 is installed, which is used to precisely adjust the water inlet flow; the energy dissipation component includes an energy dissipation pool 7, which is connected to the water inlet pipe.
[0036] Specifically, a liftable fish collection cage 9 is installed at the bottom of the fish collection area 8; the cage dimensions are: 3.0 meters long, 1.5 meters wide, and 1.0 meter high, made of fish-friendly polyethylene mesh; the energy dissipation pool 7 is a reinforced concrete structure with dimensions of: 5.0 meters long, 3.0 meters wide, and 3.0 meters deep. The pool is equipped with energy dissipation piers and perforated energy dissipation sills to fully dissipate and diffuse the high-speed water flow brought by the high-head water diversion, transforming it into a stable, slow flow; it should be noted that the collection device can also be a pump suction system or a fish guide grid; the transportation device is a rail-mounted fish transport vehicle, a cable car, or a live fish transport vehicle. In this embodiment, a rail-mounted live fish transport vehicle is used. The transport vehicle is equipped with a live fish compartment with oxygenation and heat preservation functions, and the captured fish are horizontally and vertically transferred from the fish collection area 8 to the predetermined release point in the upstream reservoir 1 via a light rail system.
[0037] In this embodiment, the control system 13 includes a water level sensor 12, which is installed on the bank of the upstream reservoir 1 to monitor the reservoir water level. The signal from the water level sensor 12 and the actuator of the flow control valve are both connected to the control system 13. The control system 13 automatically adjusts the opening of the flow control valve 6 based on the real-time water level according to a preset program to maintain a constant design water supply flow.
[0038] Working principle of the invention:
[0039] Step 1: Start the system. Based on feedback from the water level sensor 12, the control system 13 automatically adjusts the flow control valve 6 to draw water from the upstream reservoir 1 and maintain the design flow rate Qd = 0.4 m³. 3 A stable water flow of / s; after the water flow is fully dissipated in the energy dissipation pool 7, it forms a stable attracting water flow with an average cross-sectional velocity of 0.2-0.4 m / s in the fish collection area 8; after this water flow runs through the entire fish passage body 3, it flows out from the downstream fish attracting inlet 4, forming a continuous and stable fish attracting water flow channel.
[0040] Step 2: Fish in the downstream channel 2 are attracted by the water flow from the fish-attracting inlet 4, which has the characteristics of upstream water, such as temperature and dissolved oxygen. They autonomously enter the fishway body 3 and swim upstream against the current. The main flow velocity in the fishway is maintained within a suitable range of about 0.3-0.7 m / s by controlling the water replenishment flow and slope. The fish eventually gather in the fish-gathering area 8 with the best hydraulic conditions to rest. The operators can monitor the fish gathering situation through underwater cameras.
[0041] Step 3: When the number of fish in the fish collection area 8 reaches a certain amount or according to the planned time, the operator first lowers the movable fish barrier 10 to isolate the area, then raises the fish collection cage 9 out of the water, transfers the fish to the live fish transport vehicle, and finally transports it to a suitable area in the upstream reservoir 1 for release.
[0042] Step 4: Throughout the entire fish passage season, the water replenishment flow control in Step 1 is continuously implemented. Regardless of how the water level of upstream reservoir 1 fluctuates within a range of tens of meters, the control system 13 adjusts the flow rate through the flow control valve 6 to always keep the water replenishment flow rate stable within the flow range corresponding to the design water depth. This ensures that the hydraulic conditions, flow velocity, and water depth of the fish collection area 8 and the entire fish passage are stable, completely eliminating the interference of reservoir water level fluctuations.
[0043] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A fishway system for fish collection and transfer at the water supply end, characterized in that, It includes a fishway body and an upstream reservoir. The fishway body includes an upstream end and a downstream end. The downstream end is equipped with a fish-attracting inlet, and its upstream end is a closed end that is not directly connected to the upstream reservoir. The upstream controllable water replenishment unit is used to draw water from the upstream reservoir and regulate the flow rate and energy of the drawn water before delivering it to the upstream closed end area of the fishway body. The end-point fish collection and mechanical transfer unit is located in the upstream closed end area of the fishway body. It is used to receive the water flow regulated by the upstream controllable water replenishment unit to form a stable fish collection area, and to transfer the fish gathered in the fish collection area to the upstream reservoir.
2. The fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upstream controllable water supply unit includes: The water intake structure includes an inlet and an outlet; the inlet is located in the upstream reservoir. A flow control component is provided on the water intake component for adjusting the water intake flow rate; An energy dissipation component is located downstream of the outlet of the water intake component and is used to dissipate the energy of the introduced high-energy water flow.
3. A fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 2, characterized in that, The energy dissipation component is an energy dissipation pool, and its downstream portion is directly formed or connected to the fish collection area.
4. A fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a control system, which is signal-connected to the water level monitoring device and the flow control component located in the upstream reservoir, and is used to automatically adjust the flow control component according to the changes in the water level of the upstream reservoir in order to maintain the stability of the outflow or velocity of the fish collection area.
5. A fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 4, characterized in that, The terminal fish collection and mechanical transfer unit includes: A collection device for capturing fish that have gathered in the fish collection area; A transport device for transporting the captured fish from the fish collection area to a release point in the upstream reservoir.
6. A fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 5, characterized in that, The collection device is a liftable fish collection net box; the transportation device is a rail-mounted fish transport vehicle, cable car, or live fish transport vehicle.
7. A fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bottom and side walls of the fish collection area are made of fish-friendly materials, and its volume is designed according to the size and number of the target fish to provide resting space.
8. A fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fish collection area is located downstream of the energy dissipation component and is connected to the upstream end of the fishway body. The upstream end of the fish collection area is equipped with a movable fish barrier, and the downstream end is equipped with a fixed fish barrier, which is used to isolate the fish collection area during the transfer operation and prevent fish from escaping.
9. A fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 8, characterized in that, The collection device includes a liftable fish collection net box, which is located at the bottom of the fish collection area; the flow control component includes a water inlet pipe, on which a flow control valve is installed for precisely adjusting the water inlet flow rate, and the energy dissipation pool is connected to the water inlet pipe.
10. A fishway system based on fish collection and transfer at the water supply end according to claim 9, characterized in that, The control system includes a water level sensor, which is installed on the bank of the upstream reservoir to monitor the water level. The signal from the water level sensor and the actuator of the flow control valve are both connected to the control system.