In 2016, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) developed and released federal interagency fish passage design guidelines for use by engineers and other restoration practitioners planning and designing nature-like fishways (NLFs). The primary purpose of the guidelines is to provide safe, timely and effective passage for 14 diadromous fish species and life stages using Northeast Region and other Atlantic Coast rivers and streams, and at passage sites where preferential full barrier removal and river reach restoration is not feasible. We present seven key physical design parameters in the design of NLFs based on the biometrics and swimming mode and performance of each target species, and to address passage of one or an assemblage of migratory fish species. The parameters include six dimensional guidelines recommended for minimum weir passage opening width and depth, minimum pool length, width and depth, and maximum channel slope, along with a maximum flow velocity criterion for each species. Maximum fish species body length and depth as well as morphologic body type form the basis for the metrics presented. While these guidelines are targeted for the design of step-pool NLFs, this information may also have application in the design of roughened channel NLF types being considered at passage restoration sites, and in assessing performance at passage sites. Examples of constructed NLFs are presented with relevance to the design guidance. Information is also presented in use of these guidelines as input to a SMath model (Towler et al. 2015) for developing and advancing preliminary step-pool NLF design.

James Turek is a Restoration Ecologist with over 30 years of experience in fishery biology and aquatic ecology. He has worked with the NOAA Fisheries Restoration Center in Narragansett, RI for the past 17 years and previously worked for 13 years as an environmental scientist at consulting firms in MD and RI. His fish passage experiences include the assessment, design and implementation of dam removals, nature-like fishways and structural fishways, as well as aquatic restoration and creation sites. He is responsible for managing or providing technical assistance on coastal habitat and migratory passage restoration projects in Narragansett Bay, Long Island Sound, Buzzards Bay and contributing Southern New England watersheds. Alex Haro is a Research Ecologist at the S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, MA, and serves as a Principal Investigator and Section Leader of the Fish Passage Engineering Section. His work involves migratory fish behavior, design, engineering, and evaluation of fish passage structures, fish swimming performance, and ecology and management of American eels. Dr. Haro is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and serves as an advisor to graduate students and instructor of courses in fisheries biology. Brett Towler is a Hydraulic Engineer with the USFWS Fish Passage Engineering in Hadley, MA. Dr. Towler is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.