Vertically-suspended environmental enrichment has been shown to produce improvements in fish growth during hatchery rearing in circular tanks. This study documented the effects of a novel suspended structure on the velocity profile of a 3.63-m diameter circular tank containing juvenile landlocked fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) at two different densities (9.0 and 34.3 kg/m 3). The addition of vertically-suspended structure to the tank significantly decreased velocities at nearly every sampling point, with velocities typically dropping from 15 cm/s without structure to less than 6 cm/s when structure was present. Fish density also significantly impacted in-tank velocities, with an inverse relationship observed between the density of fish and water velocity. Significant interactions were present among the presence or absence of structure and fish density. When structure and fish were absent, the velocity at the edge of the tank was 15.63 cm/s, which was significantly higher than the 4.75 cm/s velocity when both structure and the lower fish density were added, which was in turn significantly higher than the 2.29 cm/s velocity observed with structure and higher fish density. Despite the potentially unique features of this study, vertically-suspended environmental enrichment and the presence of fish clearly alter circular tank water velocities, which may at least partially explain the improvements in fish rearing performance observed with the use of suspended structure.

Structures separating fish hatchery ponds from open spring water sources must restrict fish movement from the pond to the spring, allow for constant water flow, and potentially reduce incoming spring water gas supersaturation. This article describes a novel inlet structure that fulfills those requirements. In addition, it requires minimal maintenance, and allows for the quick and easy removal of debris in the event of partial plugging. This simple aluminum structure consists of a mount for attachment to the inflow pipe and a terminal splash plate with aeration holes. The splash plate is perpendicular to the water flow during normal operations to both prevent fish from jumping into the pipe and aerate the incoming water. However, it can be easily swiveled upward for the efficient removal of debris. Use of the inlet structure consistently decreased gas supersaturation in the spring water as it entered the fish production pond. By decreasing gas levels and maintaining water flows, potentially hazardous fish health issues can be avoided by using this structure. In addition, this relatively inexpensive and simple device will greatly reduce the labor required for removing debris compared to traditional screens.

A fish ladder, weir, and raceway at Whitlock Spawning Station are used to capture and retain feral fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) for spawning from Lake Oahe, South Dakota. Nearly 40% of the salmon ascending the fish ladder have been documented to escape from the holding raceway by descending the ladder. This manuscript describes modifications to the weir that eliminated nearly all escapements, except for an inconsequential number of small non-spawning fish. The modified design using the existing structure incorporated free-swinging, spaced steel bars with a back-stop to create a one-way gate. The modified gate does not require springs, hydraulics, or electrical power. It is relatively simple to construct and requires minimal maintenance.