Habitat Measures

Abstract

Fish are generally not evenly distributed over a body of water; instead, they are concentrated in certain zones and sections. Habitat quality significantly influences the distribution; besides the structure of the watercourse, flow distribution is relevant as well. Therefore, as an important and effective fish protection measure, Pavlov et al. (2002) recommend that, prior to planning water intake structures, the distribution of fish over the water body should be examined first, and the results used to determine the exact placement of the intake facilities and associated structures. For existing facilities, they state that the only option is to implement additional measures in order to keep the appeal of the aquatic habitat in the vicinity of the water intake structure as low as possible.