Comparison of juvenile white sturgeon survival through a conventional and a novel hydropower turbine

Hydropower is a globally important renewable energy source with profound impacts on aquatic organisms, including direct injury and mortality to fish that move through hydropower facilities. While it is expected that the characteristics of turbine design and operation influence the type, frequency, and magnitude of injuries suffered by entrained fish, few direct comparisons exist to illustrate differences in fish survival outcomes for conventional and novel turbine designs. This study evaluated injury and mortality rates for juvenile white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) passed through a model-scale turbine equipped with a runner having conventional blade profiles (thin, straight leading edges) and the same turbine equipped with a runner designed for improved fish survival (thick, slanted leading edges). In both trials, head and turbine runner rotational speeds were matched to produce five blade peripheral speeds between 15.0 and 27.6 m/s. High-speed video was captured for all turbine..., , # Comparison of juvenile white sturgeon survival through a conventional and a novel hydropower turbine

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.8kprr4z0g](10.5061/dryad.8kprr4z0g)

## Description of the data and file structure

We conducted an experiment to assess the rates of injury and mortality attributable to different turbine runners. Experimental procedures were identical for RHT and conventional turbine trials. Control groups were utilized to account for handling, release, and recapture effects. The control groups underwent identical handling to treatment groups, but were released downstream of the operating turbine. The RHT trial consisted of 36 passage events (N = 172 fish): 12 control passages (n = 60) and 24 treatment passages (n=112). The conventional trial also consisted of 36 passage events (N = 180 fish): 13 control passages (n= 65) and 23 treatment passages (n=115). Each passage event consisted of a group of five fish, except for one RHT treatment passage with only two fish. All gro..., ,