Overview of typical compensation measures and results of ... · HPP Rheinfelden and...

Overview of typical compensation measures and

results of the monitoring campaign on the

Upper Rhine at two HPPs

10.09.2018 / FIThydro, Augsburg / Jochen Ulrich

2

Overview Upper Rhine

HPP Rheinfelden and Ryburg-Schwörstadt

(Average discharge Upper Rhine: 1030 m³/s)

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

Basel

Lake Constance

HPP Rheinfelden

HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt

3

Overview Upper Rhine

HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt(max. 1460 m³/s, 120 MW, production: 760 Mio. kWh/a)

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

4 12.08.2014 B. Karrer

In total 17 compensation measures

(to get new approval / no technical

changes at the HPP)

5

Overview Upper Rhine

HPP Rheinfelden(max. 1500 m³/s, 100 MW, production: 600 Mio. kWh/a)

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

6

Former HPP Rheinfelden – Construction: 1894-1898

…biggest river power plant at that time //

Main changes and impacts of new HPP

Higher Water level +1,4m -> changes in

hydraulics and ground water

Loss of rock

formation

and habitat

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

7

Rheinfelden hydro power projekt

Overview after construction /

Overview fishways

Near-nature water course

Roughened fischway

Vertical-Slot fishway

In total more than 80 compensation measures

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

8

Overview compensation measuresExamples will be shown in the presentation

• Fish passage (technical or near-nature fishways)

• Residual flow / Minimum flow

• Reconnecting oxbows, flood plains and small tributaries

• Renaturation

• Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed

• Specific measures to the protection of species

• Ground water

• Cultural Heritage

• Landscape / Recreation

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

9

Fish passage / Minimum flow / Habitat structuresEcological functions of the near-nature water course /

Separate turbine for minimum flow purposes

Ecological functions:

• Riffles built out of gravel

(spawning ground for

common nase and barbel)

• Pools with gravel banks

(habitat for different species)

• Deeper flow path (to ensure

fish passage)

• Ecologically effective

habitat structures (Gravel

islands, rootstocks, trees, …)

Separate turbine 30m³/s

to ensure minimum flow

on the rocks (to save

spezialised species of

moss )

(positive results in the

last monitoring period!)

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

10

Fish passage HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt

Two entrances with connection to the river bed

and attraction flow

3D Graphic- Tailrace HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt

The attraction flow is generated by the discharge of a separately built

300 kW - turbine

300 kW turbine / electricity + attraction flow

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

11

HPP Rheinfelden

Results of fish counting

Fish passage Upper Rhine 2005-2006

compared with the results of the 2012-2013

and 2016-2017 fish countings in Rheinfelden

Quelle: Guthruf 2017

2016-2017

Quelle: Aquarius 2013

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

12

Comparison of the results of the Rheinfelden 2012-

2013 fish counting with the counting 2005/2006

Upper Rhine, total number of species

Quelle: Aquarius 2013The counting 2016-2017 showed almost the same

results like the 2012-2013-counting10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

13

Results fish counting – Length of the registered

fish (logarithmic diagram)

Quelle: Aquarius 2013

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

14

Comparision of the migrating species in the two

fishways (left: water course, right: vertical slot)

• Near-nature water course: 34 species

• Vertical slot: 24 species

Different abundance of species

Quelle: Aquarius 2013

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

15

Fish passage

HPP Rheinfelden

Fish counting - summary

• High number of migrating fish

• Very high number of species

• Abundance of rare species has significantly grown

• No selectivity

• Target species are present

• Similar results at the HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

16

Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed

Gravel deposits / 1500 m³ every two years

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

17

Structural diversity on the shore and in the river bed

Quelle: Aquarius 201810.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

18

Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed

Gravel deposits

Objectives:

• Spawning ground, reactivation of sediment transportation

Results monitoring:

• More gravel on the river banks and the river bed:

• But only few greylings in the initial feeding stage

• Spawning ground only in small quantities, gravel is eroded within short time

Optimization of the measures:

• Find a better site

• Coordination on the whole Upper Rhine

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

19

Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed

Artificial erosion of river banks

Quelle: Aquarius 201810.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

20

Structural diversity of the shore and the river bed

Artificial erosion of river banks

Objectives:

• Structure, small bays, trees as habitat

Results monitoring:

• Small scale gravel deposits

• Greylings an barbels

Optimization of the measures :

• none

• From time to time: remove vegetation

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

21

Reconnecting flood plain (Aue Wallbach)

Quelle: Aquarius 201810.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

22

Objectives:

• Dynamic, Structure, new oxbow, more habitats and retreat areas for juveniles

and small species

Results of monitoring:

• Sedimentation in the upper part, no more oxbow, but now backwater

• High fish density and many species – high improvement

• Valuable retreat area and habitat for juveniles and small species

Optimization of the measures:

• Backwater – very valuable – no measure to ensure reactivation of oxbo

• If sedimentation goes on – take some measures to ensure the backwater

habitat.

Reconnecting flood plain (Aue Wallbach)

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

23

HPP Rheinfelden

Monitoring vegetation

Quelle: Ruess 20172013: Succession area 2016:

More vegetation on the

Succession areas

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

total species:

2010: 251

2013: 318

2016: 335

Highest level in

succession areas

and meadows

24

HPP Rheinfelden

Monitoring vegetation

Results – total species

Quelle: Ruess 2017

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

25

Endangered

species (CH):

2010: 14

2013: 28

2016: 30

Highest level in

succession areas

and meadows

Quelle: Ruess 2017

HPP Rheinfelden

Monitoring vegetation

Results – total number of endangered species (CH)

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

26

Results landscape – slightly improved in the whole

perimeter

Quelle: Ruess 2017

Low quality

Low quality

High quality

Medium quality

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

27

Results landscape – slightly improved in the whole

perimeter

But also some places with lower quality

Quelle: Ruess 2017

Low quality

High quality

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

28

Monitoring HPP Rheinfelden

Birds

Goosander family close to the rock formation Great Crested Greep is breeding at the

intake of the near-nature water course

Quelle: Ruess 2018

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

29

Artificial erosion sites are breeding places for the kingfisher

Monitoring HPP Rheinfelden

Birds

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich

30

Compensation measures at HPP Rheinfelden and

HPP Ryburg-Schwörstadt

Summary

• The results in upstream migration, vegetation and landscape are very

good.

• Most of the results in fauna are good as well, some of the measures

probably take some time to reach full ecological function.

• Most of the measures to improve the structural diversity of the shore and

the river bed are very successful: i.e. artificial erosion, trees,

oxbows/backwater. High fish density in these places.

• Finding the right place for gravel deposits that result in spawning grounds

for greylings seems to be difficult.

• Overall the compensation measures at the HPP Rheinfelden and Ryburg-

Schwörstadt are very successful and improve the habitat of terrestrical and

aquatic species significantly.

10.09.2018

FIThydro / Compensation measures / Jochen Ulrich