Mactaquac aquatic ecosystem study phase 2 - aquatic sciences in support of refurbishing a hydropower dam

老化的Mactaquac水电站是加拿大最大的大坝之一，它的使用寿命已经结束。NB Power(NBP)与新不伦瑞克大学的加拿大河流研究所合作，产生了所需的水产科学，以支持NBP在短期内更新大坝基础设施的决定，以及重建或拆除的长期解决方案。在第二阶段，一项新的研究合作产生了支持环境影响评估的科学，为大坝和整个河流提供鱼类通道解决方案，并为在我们不断变化的气候中管理河流的水流提供指导。该项目是世界上最大的、计划中的大坝更新项目。支持科学建立在长期麦塔夸克水生生态系统研究(MAES)的基础上，该研究旨在探索NBP活动对河流及其水库的潜在后果。这项研究描述了河流生态系统及其货物(如动植物)和服务(如水质)，并提出了这样一个问题：大坝更新的短期和长期环境挑战和机遇是什么。这项研究建立了基线环境条件，开发了适当的环境监测指数，并预测了水流、泥沙和温度状况。这些信息被用来绘制今天动植物的栖息地、建造过程中的变化，以及NBP未来的水流管理，包括应对气候变化。MAES是NBP在研发方面的一项投资，这是在不断变化的绿色经济世界中维持其水电业务模式所必需的。这一伙伴关系承认生态系统产品和服务的新兴经济意义，并将成为加拿大的先例案例研究。MAES将创建一个途径和方法模板，以促进将水生生态系统科学纳入加拿大和全球未来水电项目的知情决策和管理。

The aging Mactaquac Hydroelectricity Generating Station is one of Canada's largest dams and it has reached the end of its service life. NB Power (NBP) worked with the Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick to generate the aquatic science required to support NBP's decision to renew the dam infrastructure in the short-term with a longer-term solution of rebuilding or removing. In Phase 2, a new research collaboration generates the science to support an environmental impact assessment, to provide fish passage solutions for the dam and the whole river, and to provide guidance for managing the river's flow in our changing climate. This project is the largest, planned dam renewal in the world. The supporting science builds on the long-term Mactaquac Aquatic Ecosystem Study (MAES) designed to explore the potential consequences of NBP's activities for the river and its reservoir. The study describes the river ecosystem and its goods (e.g., animals and plants) and services (e.g., water quality) and asks the question, what are the environmental challenges and opportunities in the short- and long-term of the dam renewal. The research establishes baseline environmental conditions, develops appropriate indices for environmental monitoring, and predicts flow, sediment, and temperature regimes. This information is used to map habitats for the animals and plants today, changes during construction, and for the future of flow management by NBP including addressing climate change. MAES is an investment by NBP in the research and development required to sustain its hydropower business model in a changing world of greening economies. This partnership acknowledges the emerging economic significance of ecosystem goods and services and will be a precedent-setting case study for Canada. MAES will create a template of approaches and methods that will facilitate the incorporation of aquatic ecosystem science into informed decision-making and management for future hydropower projects across Canada and globally.