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Dr. Kevin Mulligan is Research Hydraulic Engineer with the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, MA.
Dr. Kevin Mulligan is a Research Hydraulic Engineer at the U.S. Geological Survey's Eastern Ecological Science Center (S.O. Conte Research Laboratory). His research focuses on improving fish passage structures, which are essential for sustaining healthy fish populations while balancing the needs of the fishing and hydropower industries. By integrating hydraulic modeling with experiments on live, actively migrating fish, he works to optimize the design and performance of these structures.
Fish passage is critical for migratory species, many of which depend on movement between freshwater and ocean environments to complete their life cycles. Infrastructure like dams and weirs can obstruct these migrations, reducing fish populations and impacting ecosystems, commercial fisheries, and recreation. Kevin’s work helps develop effective fish passage solutions that restore natural migrations while supporting sustainable hydropower, water management, and fisheries.
His research focuses on key species that are ecologically and culturally significant to America’s waterways, including American shad, river herring, sea lamprey, American eel, and white suckers. By improving fish passage efficiency, he contributes to both ecological conservation and the long-term sustainability of fisheries and water resource infrastructure.
Kevin earned his Ph.D. in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2015.
This photo shows PIT tagged river herring in the 10 ft wide flume at Conte following the end of a trial as we were draining the flume at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory Fish Passage Complex.
This photo shows PIT tagged river herring in the 10 ft wide flume at Conte following the end of a trial as we were draining the flume at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory Fish Passage Complex.
This photo shows river herring schooling inside a 6 ft wide holding tank at outside the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory in the days leading up to the trial.
This photo shows river herring schooling inside a 6 ft wide holding tank at outside the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory in the days leading up to the trial.
This photo shows flow over a conventional fish ladder entrance, using a weir at the downstream end of the channel to constrict flow and create the attraction jet. PIT tagged river herring can be seen swimming in the approach area to the entrance.
This photo shows flow over a conventional fish ladder entrance, using a weir at the downstream end of the channel to constrict flow and create the attraction jet. PIT tagged river herring can be seen swimming in the approach area to the entrance.
This photo shows the dam and fish ladder where we collected the river herring in Old Lyme, CT.
This photo shows the dam and fish ladder where we collected the river herring in Old Lyme, CT.
Photo of a 1:4 scale model of the novel d-cylinder fish ladder in the hydraulics laboratory in Turners Falls, MA.
Photo of a 1:4 scale model of the novel d-cylinder fish ladder in the hydraulics laboratory in Turners Falls, MA.
This photo shows PIT tagged river herring in the 10 ft wide flume at Conte following the end of a trial as we were draining the flume at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory Fish Passage Complex.
This photo shows PIT tagged river herring in the 10 ft wide flume at Conte following the end of a trial as we were draining the flume at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory Fish Passage Complex.
This photo shows river herring schooling inside a 6 ft wide holding tank at outside the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory in the days leading up to the trial.
This photo shows river herring schooling inside a 6 ft wide holding tank at outside the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory in the days leading up to the trial.
This photo shows flow over a conventional fish ladder entrance, using a weir at the downstream end of the channel to constrict flow and create the attraction jet. PIT tagged river herring can be seen swimming in the approach area to the entrance.
This photo shows flow over a conventional fish ladder entrance, using a weir at the downstream end of the channel to constrict flow and create the attraction jet. PIT tagged river herring can be seen swimming in the approach area to the entrance.
This photo shows the dam and fish ladder where we collected the river herring in Old Lyme, CT.
This photo shows the dam and fish ladder where we collected the river herring in Old Lyme, CT.
Photo of a 1:4 scale model of the novel d-cylinder fish ladder in the hydraulics laboratory in Turners Falls, MA.
Photo of a 1:4 scale model of the novel d-cylinder fish ladder in the hydraulics laboratory in Turners Falls, MA.
*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