EDP Environmental Flow Regime in new phase of fieldwork

NEMUS has been collaborating with EDP since 2009 in determining ecological maintenance schemes for the Vilar, Caldeirão, Açude de Trinta, Fronhas and Raiva dams. In October, a new phase of fieldwork was developed.
The objective was to develop habitat preference curves for the representative species of the study sites, according to the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology IFIM. Specifically the Northern Iberian chub, Straight-mouth nase and Brown trout were considered.

Field surveys in the streams affected by the referred dams included fish collection using electrofishing and determination of the microhabitat variables: water column depth, mean water velocity and substrate composition.

The Water Framework Directive (WFD – Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000, transposed into national law by Law N.º 58/2005, of 29 December – Water Act) recognizes the need to ensure flow regimes that allow the conservation and preservation of ecosystems present prior to construction of dams.