Alexander Haro, Ph.D.
Dr. Haro is a Scientist Emeritus (Fish Biologist) at the EESC USGS S.O. Conte Research Laboratory at Turners Falls, Massachusetts
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.
Professional Experience
2024-present: Scientist Emeritus (Fish Biologist) , S. O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center, Biological Resources Division, U. S. Geological Survey, Turners Falls, Massachusetts
1991-2024: 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*
American Fisheries Society Southern New England Chapter
Honors and Awards
2022: Career Achievement Award, AFS-BES/ASCE-EWRI Joint Committee on Fisheries Engineering and Science
2021: Recognition of Appreciation Award, Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission
2013: Distinguished Project in Fisheries Engineering and Ecohydrology (Uniform Acceleration Bypass Weir)
2000: Coastal America Partnership Award (Little Falls Dam notch design)
1996: Special Achievement Award: American Fisheries Society, Southern New England Chapter
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 39
Proceedings of a workshop on American Eel passage technologies Proceedings 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...
Authors
Alexander J. Haro
Development of computational fluid dynamics--habitat suitability (CFD-HSI) models to identify potential passage--Challenge zones for migratory fishes in the Penobscot River Development of computational fluid dynamics--habitat suitability (CFD-HSI) models to identify potential passage--Challenge zones for migratory fishes in the Penobscot River
A two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics-habitat suitability (CFD–HSI) model was developed to identify potential zones of shallow depth and high water velocity that may present passage challenges for five anadromous fish species in the Penobscot River, Maine, upstream from two existing dams and as a result of the proposed future removal of the dams. Potential depth-challenge zones...
Authors
Alexander J. Haro, Robert W. Dudley, Michael Chelminski
Anguillidae: Freshwater eels Anguillidae: Freshwater eels
No abstract available.
Authors
Alexander Haro
Evaluation of nature-like and technical fishways for the passage of alewives at two coastal streams in New England Evaluation of nature-like and technical fishways for the passage of alewives at two coastal streams in New England
Nature-like fishways have been designed with the intent to reconnect river corridors and provide passage for all species occurring in a system. The approach is gaining popularity both in Europe and North America, but performance of these designs has not been quantitatively evaluated in a field setting for any North American species. Two nature-like fishways and three technical fishways...
Authors
Abigail E. Franklin, Alex Haro, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, John Noreika
Passage of American shad: paradigms and realities Passage of American shad: paradigms and realities
Despite more than 250 years of development, the passage of American shad Alosa sapidissima at dams and other barriers frequently remains problematic. Few improvements in design based on knowledge of the swimming, schooling, and migratory behaviors of American shad have been incorporated into passage structures. Large-scale technical fishways designed for the passage of adult salmonids on...
Authors
Alex Haro, Theodore Castro-Santos
Fish guidance and passage at barriers Fish guidance and passage at barriers
Habitat fragmentation resulting from human activities is a major factor contributing to reductions in biodiversity and species abundance worldwide. When movements are restricted, subpopulations become isolated, leading to reduced breeding opportunities, inbreeding depression, and interruption of key life stages. This problem is particularly ubiquitous in riverine ecosystems, where dams...
Authors
Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Alexander Haro
Population and habitat restoration - Preamble to section 5 Population and habitat restoration - Preamble to section 5
Diadromous fish populations are particularly difficult to understand, model and manage because they traverse multiple habitats that present not only environmental, ecological, reproductive, and physiological challenges, but also frequently convey them across multiple management jurisdictions. Our knowledge of population-level effects is also dependent on the quality and extent of...
Authors
Alex Haro
Fishway evaluations for better bioengineering: An integrative approach Fishway evaluations for better bioengineering: An integrative approach
Effective fishway design requires extensive integration of biological and hydraulic data. Many relevant biological parameters remain poorly characterized, however, and the lack of adequate biological data has long been recognized as a central weakness in fish passage technology. This is of particular concern given the growing recognition of the importance of passing a broad diversity of...
Authors
Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Aline Cotel, Paul Webb
Three-dimensional movement of silver-phase American eels in the forebay of a small hydroelectric facility Three-dimensional movement of silver-phase American eels in the forebay of a small hydroelectric facility
Declines in the population of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata, along the northwestern Atlantic have stimulated resource managers to consider the impact of hydroelectric facilities on silver-phase eels as they migrate downstream to the sea. During the fall of 2002, we investigated the movement of migrant eels passing downstream of a small hydroelectric facility on the Connecticut...
Authors
Leah Brown, Alexander Haro, Theodore R. Castro-Santos
Quantifying migratory delay: A new application of survival analysis Quantifying migratory delay: A new application of survival analysis
Statistical techniques commonly used in fish passage research fail to adequately quantify delays incurred at obstacles, or the effects of modifications to those obstacles on passage rates. Analyses of telemetry data describing these effects can be misleading, particularly when passage route of some individuals is not established (e.g., because of mortality, tag failure, passage through...
Authors
Theodore Castro-Santos, Alex Haro
Simulated effects of hydroelectric project regulation on mortality of American eels Simulated effects of hydroelectric project regulation on mortality of American eels
No abstract available.
Authors
Alexander Haro, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Kevin Whalen, Gail S. Wippelhauser, Lia McLaughlin
Evaluation of the effects of turbulence on the behaviour of migratory fish Evaluation of the effects of turbulence on the behaviour of migratory fish
The fundamental influence of fluid dynamics on aquatic organisms is receiving increasing attention among aquatic ecologists. For example, the importance of turbulence to ocean plankton has long been a subject of investigation (Peters and Redondo 1997). More recently, studies have begun to emerge that explicitly consider the effects of shear and turbulence on freshwater invertebrates...
Authors
Mufeed Odeh, John Noreika, Alexander Haro, Aubin Maynard, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, G. F. Cada
Non-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-012111
Brown, 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-008996
Bunt, 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-031133
Haro, 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-037072
Haro, 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-036270
Franklin, 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-014329
Castro-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-049248
Haro, A. (ed.) 2013. Proceedings of a workshop on eel passage technologies. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Special Report No. 90. 32 p. IP-049129
Haro, 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-039301
McCormick, 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-054890
Theim, 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-055359
Haro, 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-049212
Towler, 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-059508
T. 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-060899
Haro, 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-068556
Turek, 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-064934
Mulligan, 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-080297
Miehls, 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-080796
Mulligan, 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-080644
Haro, 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.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 39
Proceedings of a workshop on American Eel passage technologies Proceedings 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...
Authors
Alexander J. Haro
Development of computational fluid dynamics--habitat suitability (CFD-HSI) models to identify potential passage--Challenge zones for migratory fishes in the Penobscot River Development of computational fluid dynamics--habitat suitability (CFD-HSI) models to identify potential passage--Challenge zones for migratory fishes in the Penobscot River
A two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics-habitat suitability (CFD–HSI) model was developed to identify potential zones of shallow depth and high water velocity that may present passage challenges for five anadromous fish species in the Penobscot River, Maine, upstream from two existing dams and as a result of the proposed future removal of the dams. Potential depth-challenge zones...
Authors
Alexander J. Haro, Robert W. Dudley, Michael Chelminski
Anguillidae: Freshwater eels Anguillidae: Freshwater eels
No abstract available.
Authors
Alexander Haro
Evaluation of nature-like and technical fishways for the passage of alewives at two coastal streams in New England Evaluation of nature-like and technical fishways for the passage of alewives at two coastal streams in New England
Nature-like fishways have been designed with the intent to reconnect river corridors and provide passage for all species occurring in a system. The approach is gaining popularity both in Europe and North America, but performance of these designs has not been quantitatively evaluated in a field setting for any North American species. Two nature-like fishways and three technical fishways...
Authors
Abigail E. Franklin, Alex Haro, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, John Noreika
Passage of American shad: paradigms and realities Passage of American shad: paradigms and realities
Despite more than 250 years of development, the passage of American shad Alosa sapidissima at dams and other barriers frequently remains problematic. Few improvements in design based on knowledge of the swimming, schooling, and migratory behaviors of American shad have been incorporated into passage structures. Large-scale technical fishways designed for the passage of adult salmonids on...
Authors
Alex Haro, Theodore Castro-Santos
Fish guidance and passage at barriers Fish guidance and passage at barriers
Habitat fragmentation resulting from human activities is a major factor contributing to reductions in biodiversity and species abundance worldwide. When movements are restricted, subpopulations become isolated, leading to reduced breeding opportunities, inbreeding depression, and interruption of key life stages. This problem is particularly ubiquitous in riverine ecosystems, where dams...
Authors
Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Alexander Haro
Population and habitat restoration - Preamble to section 5 Population and habitat restoration - Preamble to section 5
Diadromous fish populations are particularly difficult to understand, model and manage because they traverse multiple habitats that present not only environmental, ecological, reproductive, and physiological challenges, but also frequently convey them across multiple management jurisdictions. Our knowledge of population-level effects is also dependent on the quality and extent of...
Authors
Alex Haro
Fishway evaluations for better bioengineering: An integrative approach Fishway evaluations for better bioengineering: An integrative approach
Effective fishway design requires extensive integration of biological and hydraulic data. Many relevant biological parameters remain poorly characterized, however, and the lack of adequate biological data has long been recognized as a central weakness in fish passage technology. This is of particular concern given the growing recognition of the importance of passing a broad diversity of...
Authors
Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Aline Cotel, Paul Webb
Three-dimensional movement of silver-phase American eels in the forebay of a small hydroelectric facility Three-dimensional movement of silver-phase American eels in the forebay of a small hydroelectric facility
Declines in the population of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata, along the northwestern Atlantic have stimulated resource managers to consider the impact of hydroelectric facilities on silver-phase eels as they migrate downstream to the sea. During the fall of 2002, we investigated the movement of migrant eels passing downstream of a small hydroelectric facility on the Connecticut...
Authors
Leah Brown, Alexander Haro, Theodore R. Castro-Santos
Quantifying migratory delay: A new application of survival analysis Quantifying migratory delay: A new application of survival analysis
Statistical techniques commonly used in fish passage research fail to adequately quantify delays incurred at obstacles, or the effects of modifications to those obstacles on passage rates. Analyses of telemetry data describing these effects can be misleading, particularly when passage route of some individuals is not established (e.g., because of mortality, tag failure, passage through...
Authors
Theodore Castro-Santos, Alex Haro
Simulated effects of hydroelectric project regulation on mortality of American eels Simulated effects of hydroelectric project regulation on mortality of American eels
No abstract available.
Authors
Alexander Haro, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Kevin Whalen, Gail S. Wippelhauser, Lia McLaughlin
Evaluation of the effects of turbulence on the behaviour of migratory fish Evaluation of the effects of turbulence on the behaviour of migratory fish
The fundamental influence of fluid dynamics on aquatic organisms is receiving increasing attention among aquatic ecologists. For example, the importance of turbulence to ocean plankton has long been a subject of investigation (Peters and Redondo 1997). More recently, studies have begun to emerge that explicitly consider the effects of shear and turbulence on freshwater invertebrates...
Authors
Mufeed Odeh, John Noreika, Alexander Haro, Aubin Maynard, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, G. F. Cada
Non-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-012111
Brown, 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-008996
Bunt, 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-031133
Haro, 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-037072
Haro, 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-036270
Franklin, 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-014329
Castro-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-049248
Haro, A. (ed.) 2013. Proceedings of a workshop on eel passage technologies. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Special Report No. 90. 32 p. IP-049129
Haro, 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-039301
McCormick, 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-054890
Theim, 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-055359
Haro, 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-049212
Towler, 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-059508
T. 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-060899
Haro, 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-068556
Turek, 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-064934
Mulligan, 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-080297
Miehls, 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-080796
Mulligan, 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-080644
Haro, 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.
*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