Author(s): Yiheng Gao; Rui Han; Hongyi Yang; Miaoran Fu

Linked Author(s): Rui Han

Keywords: Drifting fish eggs; Critical thresholds; Vortex structures; Resuspension

Abstract: Hydropower development alters river hydraulic characteristics, adversely affecting the transport of drifting fish eggs. There is an urgent need to clarify the critical hydrodynamic conditions and thresholds for drifting fish egg resuspension. Studying the transport mechanism of drifting fish eggs in bottom vortex structures can supplement existing knowledge on hydrodynamic transport conditions and thresholds. This experiment quantified the critical flow field characteristics that initiate egg motion by capturing egg transport trajectories and local flow field distributions, analysed the transport mechanism of eggs on riverbeds, and established a critical threshold formula for the resuspension of drifting fish eggs in bottom vortices during transport. Based on the energy conservation theorem, we tracked changes in egg kinetic and potential energy to establish critical thresholds for egg transport. This provides a reference for quantitatively assessing the impact of river hydrodynamic conditions on the transport and resuspension of drifting fish eggs.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/iahr.proc.ise2026.abs.254

Year: 2026