Underwater Acoustic Barrier: Protecting Migratory Fish Near Hydropower Plants
Hydroelectric power generation plays an important role in renewable energy production, but water intake canals can also create significant risks for migratory fish.
AquaMusic is exploring a new application of its expertise in underwater acoustics: using underwater sound and vibration to help guide fish away from potentially dangerous hydropower plant intake areas.
From Underwater Audio to Fish Protection
AquaMusic’s experience with underwater sound technology has already been applied beyond swimming pools and wellness environments.
Previous experiments using membrane-based underwater speakers showed that fish moved away when exposed to specific underwater frequencies. These observations led to the development of the D.A.S.S.P.M. — Underwater Acoustic System for Migratory Fish Protection.
How Does the Acoustic Fish Barrier Work?
The concept is based on installing a dedicated structure at the entrance of a hydroelectric power plant’s water intake canal.
Underwater Speakers
The system would incorporate multiple AquaMusic membrane-based underwater speakers positioned across the canal entrance.
Acoustic Deterrent Signals
The speakers would generate specifically selected underwater frequencies designed to influence fish behavior and encourage them to move away from the intake canal.
Redirecting Fish Toward a Safer Route
Rather than physically blocking the river, the objective is to create an acoustic and vibrational deterrent zone that helps redirect migratory fish toward safer areas.
Testing Fish Behavior Underwater
Preliminary tests carried out with farmed brown trout (Salmo trutta) showed a clear avoidance response when the fish were exposed to selected frequencies emitted by underwater speakers.
Further research is required to determine the most appropriate:
sound frequencies;
acoustic intensity;
signal duration;
speaker configuration;
and response of different migratory species.
Measuring the Effectiveness of the System
A full-scale installation would allow fish behavior to be monitored before and after implementation.
Video monitoring and fish-counting systems could be used near the acoustic barrier and existing fish passage facilities to evaluate how effectively the system redirects fish away from hazardous areas.
Underwater Acoustic Technology for Biodiversity
This project illustrates another potential application for underwater sound technology.
While AquaMusic is best known for designing underwater speakers for swimming pools, spas and aquatic environments, the same expertise in underwater acoustics can also contribute to research into biodiversity protection.
The D.A.S.S.P.M. project therefore explores a simple idea:
Can underwater sound help reconcile hydroelectric power generation with the protection of migratory fish?
Further field testing will be necessary to answer that question, but underwater acoustic deterrence represents a promising area for continued research.
