Research conducted by members of the ICER team involves a variety of field-based and experimental techniques to examine issues related to fish passage and fisheries management. The University of Southampton owns several indoor and outdoor experimental channels based at the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences and the Chilworth Science Park.

Indoor Flumes

At the Faculty of Engineering and the Physical Sciences, an indoor tilting recirculatory flume (12 m long, 0.3 m wide, maximum flow rate 0.03 m3s-1) is ideal for fine-scale hydraulic modelling using state-of-the-art acoustic and laser Doppler and Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) techniques.

The large indoor flume

At the Chilworth Science Park, the 22 m long indoor recirculatory flume (1.4 m wide and 0.6 m deep) is equipped with three electrically driven centrifugal pumps providing a maximum flow capacity of 0.47 m3s-1. Individual pump capacities are 90, 150 and 230 L s-1. Two annular flow meters monitor discharge. The flume can be tilted, with the slope adjustable between zero and 1:200.

Screen testing in the large indoor flume

Outdoor Flumes

The outdoor facility, unique in the UK, has three channels through which water can be recirculated.
1. trapezoidal channel, 60 m length x 2.1 m width x 0.5 m depth, maximum flow rate 0.8 m3s-1.
2. natural channel, 60 m length, sinuous but can be modified to mimic natural conditions.
3. small channel, 60 m length x 0.5 m width x 0.5 m depth, maximum flow rate 0.15 m3s-1.

Trapezoidal channel of the large outdoor flume

Outdoor flume pumps

Outdoor flume sump tank and pumps in operation

The Spawning Habitat Research Facility (SHReF)

The Spawning Habitat Research Facility (SHReF) consists of a recirculating system of tanks in which the rates of flow, temperature, treatment (sediment load/source) and water quality can all be controlled. To date experiments have been undertaken on brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Sediment is introduced into the egg zone and the mortality of the eggs and fitness of the alevins are quantified in relation to the different levels and sources of silt and clay.

Outdoor Holding Tanks

The Chilworth science park research facility has four purpose built 3000 litre outdoor holding tanks. Each tank is filtered via a large gravity fed external filter complete with U.V. filtration. Aeration is provided through a venturi system on the filter outlets and via a large capacity air pump. Each tank has a separate 240 volt supply for additional equipment.