Experimental flume data on larval Murray cod entrainment across screen slot widths, velocities, and proximity

This dataset supports a study evaluating the effectiveness of modern
fish-protection screens in reducing entrainment of larval Murray cod
(Maccullochella peelii) at water intakes. It comprises experimental data
from a series of trials conducted in a large, hydraulically calibrated
flume, simulating screen conditions representative of those used in
irrigation diversions in Australia and comparable jurisdictions. Larvae
were exposed to combinations of two approach velocities (0.1 and
0.2 m s⁻¹), two wedgewire screen slot widths (2 and 3 mm), and three
release distances (5, 15, and 30 cm) from the screen face. For each
treatment, entrainment outcomes were recorded, and associated hydrodynamic
data were collected using acoustic Doppler velocimetry. The dataset
includes entrainment proportions by treatment combination, hydraulic
velocity components (approach, sweeping, vertical), and spatial metadata.
It allows exploration of how biological and physical parameters interact
to influence larval fate at screened and unscreened intakes. This dataset
underpins the analysis presented in the paper "Protecting larval fish
at water intakes: Hydraulic and biological evidence for the effectiveness
of modern fish-protection screens" and may be used to inform future
design standards and species-specific risk assessments for larval fish in
regulated rivers.