©Department of Geography. Valahia University of Targoviste Annals of Valahia University of Targoviste. Geographical Series Tome 14/2014 Issues 2 http://fsu.valahia.ro/images/avutgs/home.html

SOLUTION FOR FISH MIGRATION ON THE SOMEŞUL MIC RIVER UPSTREAM – DOWNSTREAM OF MĂNĂŞTUR DAM IN CLUJ NAPOCA

Răzvan VOICU1, Petre BRETCAN2

1National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, Sos. Bucuresti-Ploiesti 97, Bucuresti, cod 013686, România, Tel.: +40-21-3181115, Fax.: +40-21-3181116, Email: rzvnvoicu@yahoo.com,

2 Valahia University of Targoviste, Department of Geography, st. Lt. Stancu Ion, no.34-36, 130024, Târgoviște, Dâmbovița, tel: (04) 0245206105, Romania

Abstract

Hydrotechnical constructions (discharge sills, dams etc) located across the watercourse Somes Mic block migration of two important migratory fish species: barbel (Barbus barbus - rare species, protected Habitats Directive (Annex V), annex 4A of Low nr.462 and Red List of RBDD) and nase (Chondrostoma nasus - protected by Bern Convention - Appendix III). Mănăştur Dam located in Cluj Napoca has a fish passage inoperable. Also, the national legislative framework regarding the water policy (Water Law no. 107, with subsequent amendments, NT No. / 2006 OM 1163/2007), reflecting the European directives, mentions the obligation to ensure construction works in order to protect the fish migration and also to maintain the ecological balance in the reservoirs. Therefore, this article aims to provide a solution for migration fish fauna, designed to restore longitudinal connectivity. The proposed migration system are based on the gravitational fall of water and will lead to the restoration of the longitudinal connection of the Someşul Mic River. This paper represent a part of a complex study regarding the restoration of longitudinal connectivity of Someşul Mic River accomplished in a framework of a more large Programme of Measures for restoring longitudinal and lateral connectivity of Someşul Mic River. The issue of ecological restoration of water courses is a matter of public interest and has emerged as a result of the effects of human impact caused by the following factors: industrialization, urbanization, agricultural and zootechnical activities, and hydro-morphological pressures. Rivers restoration includes a large variety of methods, mainly aimed to restore the natural functions of rivers altered after anthropic interventions.

Keywords: ecobiome’s functionality, fish migration, Somesul Mic River, longitudinal connectivity, dam.

1. INTRODUCTION

Longitudinal connectivity within a hydrographic network refers to the ways in which

organisms move and also to energy and material exchanges located throughout the water (Lucas &

Baras, 2001; Amoros & Bornette 2002). Discontinuation of longitudinal connectivity of water

courses caused by waterworks (sills and dams) has a major impact on sediment transport,

hydrological regime, downstream moving and biota migration (Amoros & Petts, 1993; Vannote et.

al. 1980).

Since the minor riverbeds are influenced both by longitudinal and lateral movements,

through the modification of the matter and energy quantities in the hydro-system (Armstrong, 1996;

Larinier, 2001; Vannote et al. 1980), the continual monitoring of their effects is a very topical

problem (Berra T. 2001). The modification of the longitudinal connectivity of the rivers produces

direct effects on the fish populations, influencing the way they travel, reproduce and feed (Gross et

al. 1988; Jackson et al. 2002; Vannote et al. 1980), and the understanding of the new modalities of

adaptation of the fish populations plays an important role in ecological reconstruction, in the

restoring of the interrelations and in the hydro-systems’ functionality (Larinier & Travade, 1999;

Naiman & Bilby, 2001).

The disturbance of the aquatic biotops, through the modification of the reproduction and

migration areas for fish species affects the whole food chain (Northcote 1998; Vannote et al. 1980).

The analysis of this correspondence realized on the basis of detailed studies highlights the role of

the main abiotic factors responsible for the modification of the biological communities, including

fish communities, in Somesul Mic River (Bănărescu, 1964).

The isolation and fragmentation of the habitats through the modification of the longitudinal

and lateral connectivity of the rivers, through the reduction of the floodable areas and the

modification of the rivers’ functional areas (Larinier, 2001), has led to the reduction of the

biodiversity conservation capacity (Jungwright, 1996; Jungwirth et al. 1998).

The protection of the rivers’ ecological integrity and biodiversity can be realized as well by

restoring the longitudinal and lateral connectivity (Toroimac 2009; Ionus 2013) and implementing

the European legislation (Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC) as well as the Romanian one.

Given that Romania is part of the European Union, it has the obligation to implement the

provisions of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, transposed into Romanian legislation by

the Water Law 107/1996 as supplemented and amended (Voicu, 2014) (Act 310/2004, Law 112 /

2006; Act 161/2006 – Norms regarding the classification of ground water quality in order to

stabilize the ecological status of water bodies and Ministerial Order 1163/2007 on technical projects

for designing and realizing hydro-technical arrangement and re-arrangement works for water

courses) (Voicu&Voicu, 2014).

The long-term anthropic intervention realized through the presence of hydro-technical

constructions (Cada, 1998) within the basin area and direct or diffuse pollution results in a gradual

degradation of the ecosystems. The presence of treatment stations (having a low efficiency in the

case of certain pollutants) and that of waste platforms determine a higher pollution level (Szigyártó,

2013) and a lower water quality in certain sectors of the course of Someşul Mic River and of its

tributaries (Avram, 2011)

2. MATHERIAL AND METHODS 2.1. Study area

The hydrographic basin of Somesul Mic River develops around Cluj County and partially

Bihor County, and one can easily identify both its upper and its lower basin (Serban, 2007). The

morphological evolution of the hydrographic basin determined the sinewy aspect of the water

courses, the drainage occuring along the general direction North-East. The hydrological regime of

Somesul Mic River and its tributaries is determined by the specific climate conditions, a gap of

about one month being present between the occurence of the maximal precipitations and the

maximal debits (Serban, 2007). The values of the average specific flows increase simultaneously to

the increase of the average altitude of the basin, and the coefficient of the average flow has a similar

spatial distribution (Serban, 2007) because of the good drainage of the precipitations and given the

presence of impermeable rocks (Batinas & Sorocovschi, 2012).

The construction of storage lakes in the hydrographic basin (Serban, 1999) determined the

modification of the rivers’ hydrological regime, both under the aspect of the liquid flows and in

point of the solid flows, the spring season (40-45%) continuing to be the one during which the

largest flows and volumes are transported through the riverbed (fig. 1). The arrangement of the

hydrographic basin of Somesul Mic River was realized in two stages: during the first stage (1968-

1980), the storage lakes (Gilau, Tarnita, Fantanele etc.) and the water adduction and derivation

works were realized, whereas during the second stage (1980-1990) the latter were put into operation

(Serban, 2007).

Figure 1. Temporal distribution of seasonal mean flow upstream (a) and downstream (b)

of Gilau dam

3. RESULT AND DISCUSION

Mănăştur dam fish ladder was built inappropriately for the migration of migratory fish

species living in the Someşul Mic River. Inside this fish ladder the speed is too high; there is also a

lot of turbulence created by concrete sheet piles located within the migration system (fig. 2). The

slope is too big for fish to migrate (fig. 3), therefore it should be designed and built again.

Consequently such engineering solution that will not affect the fish ladder or the dam structure must

be proposed. The water speed downstream of Mănăştur dam is about 1m/s and the water flow of

about 5.5 m3/s. River slope is 0.5 percent (%).

Figure 2 and figure 3 Fish ladder dam located on the Mănăştur dam

The first thing to do is eliminate dissipaters (concrete flanges) inside the fish ladder. Then a

rectangle must be cut on the left vertical wall of the fish ladder (fig. 4). The vertical walls of the fish

ladder will be lifted by the means of two concrete triangles with sides smaller than 30 cm (fig. 4).

After more than 40 cm downstream of the rectangular crenel, a concrete sheet pile completely

blocking the water flow inside the fish ladder shall be fixed (fig. 5).

concrete sheet pile for a complete blockage of the fish ladder high wall made of concrete plate

rectangular crenel

Mănăştur dam Figure 4 Positioning the crenel and the vertical walls of the fish ladder

concrete sheet pile

fish ladder

Figure 5 Positioning the concrete sheet pile inside the fish ladder – indicative scheme

The entire amount of the water flow captured by the fish ladder flows through the

rectangular crenel. Because inside the fish ladder the water speed must be lower than the river water

speed, the horizontal surface of the fish ladder is covered by concrete on an inclined plane (fig. 6).

concrete sheet pile

rectangular crenel

horizontal surface covered by concrete (inclined plane) of the fish ladder Figure 6 Positioning the concrete surface (inclined plane)

inside the fish ladder – indicative scheme

Four-fifths of the rectangular crenel will undertake the entire amount of water flow from the

arranged fish ladder. The concrete sheet pile blocking the water flow inside the fish ladder can also

calm down the water stream next to the crenel due to the wave propagating that is almost

nonexistent next to the crenel area due to the afflux. The distance between the concrete sheet pile

and the crenel can be calculated in the laboratory of hydraulics without any difficulty.

The distance between the bottom of the crenel and the multiannual average level of the river

should not exceed 30 cm. This new channel undertaking water from the crenel will be about 65 cm

height and 3 cm thick and will be made of concrete (fig. 7). The new canal will consist of two

modules M1 and M2 forming an angle of 90°. M1 module will be supported by the fish ladder

upstream and by two concrete pillars downstream (fig. 8) the M1 and M2 modules have in common

the concrete pillars. There are also other concrete pillars close to the water level (fig. 9)

concrete sheet pile rebuilt fish ladder

metal rivet concrete canal undertaking water and fish fauna of the existing fish ladder

concrete pillar

module M2

concrete pillar for support module M2

Şomesul Mic river Figure 7 Positioning the two modules M1 and M2 Figure 8 Positioning the two pillars in relation

– indicative scheme to the water level – indicative scheme

Mănăştur Dam

module M1

module M2

the joining area between modules M1 and M2

concrete sheet pile

the Someșul Mic River water level

Figure 9 General scheme of the fish migration system over the dam Mănăştur – indicative scheme

The modules M1 and M2 will be approximately 1,5 meters and 4 meters, respectively.

During winter the modules M1 and M2 can be detached from the existing fish ladder and stored in

proper places for that they can be reassembled again in spring. The execution costs are lower than

for a typical fish ladder. For good results, the two modules can follow the example of some Alaska

steep pass (fig. 10 and fig. 11).

Figure 10 The Plimoth Grist Mill river (US)

(Source: http://blogs.plimoth.org/milltale/?tag=alaskan-steep-pass)

Figure 11 Glover Mill Pond Dam on the Herring Brook (US)

(Source: http://northsouthrivers.blogspot.ro/2011/11/normal.html)

CONCLUSION

The study of the effects of the longitudinal connectivity modification in relation to the

migration of the fish species over the transversal hydro-technical works can yield important data

useful to protect biodiversity and restore the populations in order to reestablish the ecological

balance. The technical solutions proposed for reestablishing the longitudinal connectivity of

Somesul Mic River downstream/upstream from Manastur Dam aim to preserve biodiversity and

maintain the ecological balance of the ecosystems. Subsequent detailed studies could lead, on the

one hand, to an increasingly detailed knowledge of the migration periods and of the migratory

flows, and, on the other hand, to the improvement and completion of the technical solutions

proposed.

This system of fish migration upstream – downstream of the dam Mănăştur provides

longitudinal connectivity of the Somesul Mic River representing an important issue in the local lotic

ecosystem restoration. The solution proposed in this paper is practical, is not expensive, it can be

developed without any expensive technology and does not affect the dam structure.

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