Abstract Manager

Maintaining aquatic connectivity is vital for the health of Ontario’s ecosystems, yet culverts can frequently act as barriers to fish migration, disrupting habitats and threatening aquatic biodiversity. At Heyrock Creek near Zurich, Ontario, a deteriorating culvert with a 2-meter vertical drop created a significant barrier to fish passage. To address this, we designed and installed a culvert-integrated fish ladder that restored access to over 3 kilometers of upstream habitat for species like Rainbow Trout, White Sucker, and Northern Pike. Using hydraulic modeling, the fish ladder was optimized for low-flow and flood conditions, while upstream and downstream areas were stabilized with armour stone and riparian planting to improve habitat resilience and reduce erosion. Building on the lessons learned from Heyrock Creek, this presentation also highlights smaller culvert retrofits completed across Ontario. By incorporating features like baffles, natural streambed materials, and low-flow channels, we addressed issues such as high velocities, perched outlets, and insufficient depth, effectively reconnecting aquatic habitats. This presentation will provide a detailed overview of the design processes, challenges encountered, and solutions implemented across various projects. We share actionable insights into innovative fish passage techniques, monitoring outcomes, and how collaboration among engineers, ecologists, and stakeholders can result in effective fish passage solutions for projects of different scales and functionality.