Alexander Haro, Ph.D.
Dr. Haro is a Fish Biologist at the USGS S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory at Turners Falls, Massachusetts, and serves as Section Leader of the Fish Passage Engineering Section.
His present work involves migratory fish behavior, design, engineering, and evaluation of fish passage structures, fish swimming performance, and ecology and management of American eels. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation and serves as a major advisor for graduate students, as well as an instructor for courses in fisheries biology.
Professional Experience
1991-present: Ecologist and Section Leader, Fish Passage Engineering Section, S. O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center, Biological Resources Division, U. S. Geological Survey, Turners Falls, Massachusetts
1991-present: Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology; Department of Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts
1989-1990: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cooperative Institute for Marine Resource Studies, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Zoology, University of Maine 1989
M.Sc. Zoology, University of Rhode Island 1985
B. Sc. Biology, University of Michigan 1981
Affiliations and Memberships*
1985-present: American Fisheries Society Parent Society, Bethesda, MD
1985-present: American Fisheries Society Southern New England Chapter, Woods Hole, MA
1991-present: American Fisheries Society Bioengineering Section, Bethesda, MD
1992-present: University of Massachusetts, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Conservation, Amherst, MA
1996-present: Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, American Eel Management Plan Technical Committee, Fish Passage Working Group, Washington, DC
1996-present: Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission (Fish Passage, Shad Studies Work Group, American Eel Subcommittee)
2000 – present: International Council for Exploration of the Seas (ICES) North American Eel Working Group
2012-present: Great Lakes Fisheries Commission Sea Lamprey Research Board; Trapping Task Force and Barriers Task Force
2010-present: American Society of Civil Engineers Environmental and Water Resources Institute - American Fisheries Society Bioengineering Section Committee on Fish Passage Fisheries Engineering Joint
Science and Products
Migratory behavior of adult sea lamprey and cumulative passage performance through four fishways
Electrical guidance efficiency of downstream-migrating juvenile Sea Lamprey decreases with increasing water velocity
Reinforcement and validation of the analyses and conclusions related to fishway evaluation data from Bunt et al.: ‘Performance of fish passage structures at upstream barriers to migration’
A computational fluid dynamics modeling study of guide walls for downstream fish passage
Federal interagency nature‐like fishway passage design guidelines for Atlantic coast diadromous fishes
Passage of downstream migrant American eels through an airlift-assisted deep bypass
Derivation and application of the energy dissipation factor in the design of fishways
Computational fluid dynamics-habitat suitability index (CFD-HSI) modelling as an exploratory tool for assessing passability of riverine migratory challenge zones for fish
Accelerometer-derived activity correlates with volitional swimming speed in lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
Survival and behavioral effects of exposure to a hydrokinetic turbine on juvenile Atlantic salmon and adult American shad
Migratory patterns of hatchery and stream-reared Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts in the Connecticut River, U.S.A.
Proceedings of a workshop on American Eel passage technologies
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 37
Migratory behavior of adult sea lamprey and cumulative passage performance through four fishways
This article describes a study of PIT-tagged sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) ascending four fishways comprising three designs at two dams on the Connecticut River, USA. Migration between dams was rapid (median migration rate = 23 km·day−1). Movement through the fishways was much slower, however (median = 0.02–0.33 km·day−1). Overall delay at dams was substantial (median = 13.6–14.6 days); many fiAuthorsTheodore R. Castro-Santos, Xiaotao Shi, Alexander HaroElectrical guidance efficiency of downstream-migrating juvenile Sea Lamprey decreases with increasing water velocity
We tested the efficacy of a vertically oriented field of pulsed direct current (VEPDC) created by an array of vertical electrodes for guiding downstream-moving juvenile Sea Lampreys Petromyzon marinus to a bypass channel in an artificial flume at water velocities of 10–50 cm/s. Sea Lampreys were more likely to be captured in the bypass channel than in other sections of the flume regardless of elecAuthorsScott M. Miehls, Nicholas S. Johnson, Alexander HaroReinforcement and validation of the analyses and conclusions related to fishway evaluation data from Bunt et al.: ‘Performance of fish passage structures at upstream barriers to migration’
Detailed re-examination of the datasets that were used for a meta-analysis of fishway attraction and passage revealed a number of errors that we addressed and corrected. We subsequently re-analysed the revised dataset, and results showed no significant changes in the primary conclusions of the original study; for most species, effective performance cannot be assured for any fishway type.AuthorsC.M. Bunt, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Alexander HaroA computational fluid dynamics modeling study of guide walls for downstream fish passage
A partial-depth, impermeable guidance structure (or guide wall) for downstream fish passage is typically constructed as a series of panels attached to a floating boom and anchored across a water body (e.g. river channel, reservoir, or power canal). The downstream terminus of the wall is generally located nearby to a fish bypass structure. If guidance is successful, the fish will avoid entrainmentAuthorsKevin Mulligan, Brett Towler, Alexander J. Haro, David P. AhlfeldFederal interagency nature‐like fishway passage design guidelines for Atlantic coast diadromous fishes
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have collaborated to develop passage design guidance for use by engineers and other restoration practitioners considering and designing nature‐like fishways (NLFs). The primary purpose of these guidelines is to provide a summary of existing fish swimming and leaping perforAuthorsJames Turek, Alexander J. Haro, Brett TowlerPassage of downstream migrant American eels through an airlift-assisted deep bypass
Traditional downstream guidance and bypass facilities for anadromous fishes (i.e., surface bypasses, surface guidance structures, and behavioral barriers) have frequently been ineffective for anguillid eels. Because eels typically spend the majority of their time near the bottom in the vicinity of intake structures, deep bypass structures with entrances near the bottom hold promise for increased eAuthorsAlexander J. Haro, Barnaby J. Watten, John NoreikaDerivation and application of the energy dissipation factor in the design of fishways
Reducing turbulence and associated air entrainment is generally considered advantageous in the engineering design of fish passage facilities. The well-known energy dissipation factor, or EDF, correlates with observations of the phenomena. However, inconsistencies in EDF forms exist and the bases for volumetric energy dissipation rate criteria are often misunderstood. A comprehensive survey of EDFAuthorsBrett Towler, Kevin Mulligan, Alexander J. HaroComputational fluid dynamics-habitat suitability index (CFD-HSI) modelling as an exploratory tool for assessing passability of riverine migratory challenge zones for fish
We developed two-dimensional computational fluid hydraulics-habitat suitability index (CFD-HSI) models to identify and qualitatively assess potential zones of shallow water depth and high water velocity that may present passage challenges for five major anadromous fish species in a 2.63-km reach of the main stem Penobscot River, Maine, as a result of a dam removal downstream of the reach. SuitabilAuthorsAlexander J. Haro, Michael Chelminski, Robert W. DudleyAccelerometer-derived activity correlates with volitional swimming speed in lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
Quantifying fine-scale locomotor behaviours associated with different activities is challenging for free-swimming fish.Biologging and biotelemetry tools can help address this problem. An open channel flume was used to generate volitionalswimming speed (Us) estimates of cultured lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens Rafinesque, 1817) and these were paired withsimultaneously recorded accelerometer-derAuthorsJ.D. Thiem, J.W. Dawson, A.C. Gleiss, E.G. Martins, Alexander J. Haro, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, A. J. Danylchuk, R. P. Wilson, S. J. CookeSurvival and behavioral effects of exposure to a hydrokinetic turbine on juvenile Atlantic salmon and adult American shad
This paper describes a series of experiments designed to measure the effect of exposure to a full-scale, vertical axis hydrokinetic turbine on downstream migrating juvenile Atlantic salmon (N=75) and upstream migrating adult American shad (N=208). Controlled studies were performed in a large-scale, open-channel flume, and all individuals approached the turbine under volitional control. No injuriesAuthorsTheodore R. Castro-Santos, Alex HaroMigratory patterns of hatchery and stream-reared Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts in the Connecticut River, U.S.A.
The timing of downstream migration and detection rates of hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts and stream-reared smolts (stocked 2 years earlier as fry) were examined in the Connecticut River (U.S.A.) using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags implanted into fish and then detected at a downstream fish bypass collection facility at Turners Falls, MA (river length 192 km). In twoAuthorsStephen D. McCormick, Alexander Haro, Darren T. Lerner, Michael F. O'Dea, Amy M. RegishProceedings of a workshop on American Eel passage technologies
Recent concerns regarding a decline in recruitment of American eels (Anguilla rostrata) have prompted efforts to restore this species to historic habitats by providing passage for both upstream migrant juveniles and downstream migrant adults at riverine barriers, including low-head and hydroelectric dams (Castonguay et al. 1994, Haro et al. 2000). These efforts include development of management pAuthorsAlexander J. HaroNon-USGS Publications**
Haro, A. 2009. Population and habitat restoration. Pages 495-496 in: Haro, A. J., K. L. Smith, R. A. Rulifson, C. M. Moffitt, R. J. Klauda, M. J. Dadswell, R. A. Cunjak, J. E. Cooper, K. L. Beal, and T. S. Avery, editors. 2009. Challenges for Diadromous Fishes in a Dynamic Global Environment. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 69, Bethesda, Maryland. IP-012111Brown, L., A. Haro, and T. Castro-Santos. 2009. Three-dimensional movement of silver-phase American eels in the forebay of a small hydroelectric facility. Pages 277-291 in: J. Casselman et al. editors. Eels at the Edge: Science, Status, and Conservation Concerns. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD. IP-008996Bunt, C. M., T. Castro-Santos, and A. Haro. 2011. Performance of fish passage structures at upstream barriers to migration. River Research and Applications 28(4): 457-478. doi: 10.1002/rra.156. IP-031133Haro, A. and T. Castro-Santos 2012. Passage of American shad: paradigms and realities. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 4(1): 252-261. doi: 10.1080/19425120.2012.675975. IP-037072Haro, A., R. Dudley, and M. Chelminski. 2012. Development of computational fluid dynamics-habitat suitability (CFD–HSI) models to identify potential passage-challenge zones for migratory fishes in the Penobscot River. USGS Fact Sheet 2012–3073; 2 pp. IP-036270Franklin, A. E., A. Haro, T. Castro-Santos, and J. Noreika. 2012. Evaluation of nature-like and technical fishways for the passage of alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) at two coastal streams in New England. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 141(3): 624-637. doi: 10.1080/00028487.2012.683469. IP-014329Castro-Santos, T. and A. Haro. 2013. Survival and behavioral effects of exposure to a hydrokinetic turbine on juvenile Atlantic salmon and adult American shad. Estuaries and Coasts. doi:10.1007/s12237-013-9680-6. IP-049248Haro, A. (ed.) 2013. Proceedings of a workshop on eel passage technologies. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Special Report No. 90. 32 p. IP-049129Haro, A. 2014. Anguillidae. Pages 313-331 in: B. M. Burr and M. L. Warren, Jr., eds. Diversity of North American Freshwater Fishes: Natural History, Ecology, and Conservation. Johns Hopkins University Press. IP-039301McCormick, S. D., A. Haro, D. T. Lerner, M. F. O'Dea and A. M. Regish. 2014. Migratory patterns of hatchery- and stream-reared Atlantic salmon smolts in the Connecticut River, USA. Journal of Fish Biology 85:1005 – 1022. doi:10.1111/jfb.12532. IP-054890Theim, J.D., J.W. Dawson, A.C. Gleiss, E.G. Martins, A. Haro, T. Castro-Santos, A.J. Danylchuk, R.P. Wilson, S.J. Cooke. 2015. Accelerometer-derived activity correlates with volitional swimming speed in lake sturgeon (Acipenser fluvescens). Canadian Journal of Zoology 93: 645-654. doi:10.1139/cjz-2014-0271. IP-055359Haro, A., M. Chelminski, and R. Dudley. 2015. Computational fluid dynamics – habitat suitability index (CFD-HSI) modelling as an exploratory tool for assessing passability of riverine migratory challenge zones for fish. River Research and Applications 31: 526–537. doi:10.1002/rra.2911. IP-049212Towler, B., K. Mulligan, and A. Haro. 2015. Derivation and application of the energy dissipation factor in the design of fishways. Ecological Engineering. 83: 208-217. doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.06.014. IP-059508T. Castro-Santos, X. Shi, and A. Haro. 2016. Migratory behavior of adult sea lamprey and cumulative passage performance through four fishways. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. doi:10.1139/cjfas-2016-0089. IP-060899Haro, A., B. Watten, and J. Noreika. 2016. Passage of downstream migrant American eels through an airlift deep bypass system. Ecological Engineering 91(2016):545-552. doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.02.028. IP-068556Turek, J., A. Haro, and B. Towler. 2016. Federal interagency nature‐like fishway passage design guidelines for Atlantic coast diadromous fishes. USGS-USFWS-NMFS Interagency Technical Memorandum. 47 pp. IP-064934Mulligan, K., B. Towler, A. Haro, and D.P. Ahlfeld. 2017. A computational fluid dynamics modeling study of guide walls for downstream fish passage. Ecological Engineering 99:324-332, doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.11.025. IP-080297Miehls, S.M., N. S. Johnson, and A. Haro. 2017. Electrical guidance efficiency of downstream migrating juvenile Sea Lamprey decreases with increasing water velocity. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 146(2): 299-307. doi: 10.1080/00028487.2016.1256834. IP-080796Mulligan, K. B., B. Towler, A. Haro, and D. P. Ahlfeld. 2017. Sensitivity of the downward to sweeping velocity ratio to the bypass flow percentage along a guide wall for downstream fish passage. Ecological Engineering 109:10-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.08.012. IP-080644Haro, A., K. Mulligan, T. P. Suro, J. Noreika, and A. McHugh. 2017. Hydraulic and biological passability analysis of the Blackwells Mills USGS gaging weir. USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2017-5103. doi: 10.3133/sir20175103. IP-082637**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government