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.
Kevin B Mulligan
Dr. Kevin Mulligan is Research Hydraulic Engineer at the USGS S.O. Conte Research Laboratory at Turners Falls, Massachusetts
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.
Science and Products
Fish Passage Research to Identify the Ideal Fishway Entrance for River Herring (Alosa spp)
USGS is working to identify an improved fishway entrance design for two at-risk species, blueback herring ( Alosa aestivalis) and alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus).
Development and Evaluation of the Novel East Coast Fish Ladder
USGS is working to establish a new East Coast fish ladder design that would help a multitude of aquatic species move easier in our waterways.
Production, Behavior, and Survival of Juvenile Shad and River Herring
USGS is conducting research to better understand biology, behavior, and survival of juvenile fishes that travel between fresh and saltwater to complete their lifecycles. Migratory fishes as such as herring and shad are vital components in riverine and coastal ecosystems, transporting food and nutrients between fresh rivers and the ocean. They are also an important forage fish for predators in...
Evaluation and Development of Fish Passage Structures and Technologies
Dams can be found in just about every major river, and for good reason. Society has received many benefits like flood control, hydropower, water supply storage, and places to recreate. However, many fish and other life in our rivers can’t swim around these barriers. Often, the best spot for a fish to live and reproduce is out of reach because they can’t pass by a dam. This has not gone unnoticed...
Conservation Engineering
Engineering has an important role to play in the conservation of migratory fish species. As a result of anthropogenic development on river systems, full and partial barriers to fish movement commonly exist in watersheds worldwide. There is an estimated 2.5 million barriers to fish migration in the United States alone. These barriers typically consist of small to large size dams, culverts, and...
Fish Passage Hydraulic Flume
Many existing upstream and downstream fish passage structure designs (fishways, culverts, screens, downstream bypasses, etc.) function poorly or only for a narrow range of species or environmental conditions. Resource agencies consistently seek new or improved designs that pass a broader range of species with high efficiency and reliability, under a wider range of hydraulic operating conditions...
Fish in Flume during draining at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory facility
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.
River herring in a 6 ft holding tank
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.
Low flow weir over a conventional fish ladder 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 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.
Dam and Fish Ladder collection site in Old Lyme, CT
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.
Scale model of a novel fish ladder
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.
Science and Products
Fish Passage Research to Identify the Ideal Fishway Entrance for River Herring (Alosa spp)
USGS is working to identify an improved fishway entrance design for two at-risk species, blueback herring ( Alosa aestivalis) and alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus).
Development and Evaluation of the Novel East Coast Fish Ladder
USGS is working to establish a new East Coast fish ladder design that would help a multitude of aquatic species move easier in our waterways.
Production, Behavior, and Survival of Juvenile Shad and River Herring
USGS is conducting research to better understand biology, behavior, and survival of juvenile fishes that travel between fresh and saltwater to complete their lifecycles. Migratory fishes as such as herring and shad are vital components in riverine and coastal ecosystems, transporting food and nutrients between fresh rivers and the ocean. They are also an important forage fish for predators in...
Evaluation and Development of Fish Passage Structures and Technologies
Dams can be found in just about every major river, and for good reason. Society has received many benefits like flood control, hydropower, water supply storage, and places to recreate. However, many fish and other life in our rivers can’t swim around these barriers. Often, the best spot for a fish to live and reproduce is out of reach because they can’t pass by a dam. This has not gone unnoticed...
Conservation Engineering
Engineering has an important role to play in the conservation of migratory fish species. As a result of anthropogenic development on river systems, full and partial barriers to fish movement commonly exist in watersheds worldwide. There is an estimated 2.5 million barriers to fish migration in the United States alone. These barriers typically consist of small to large size dams, culverts, and...
Fish Passage Hydraulic Flume
Many existing upstream and downstream fish passage structure designs (fishways, culverts, screens, downstream bypasses, etc.) function poorly or only for a narrow range of species or environmental conditions. Resource agencies consistently seek new or improved designs that pass a broader range of species with high efficiency and reliability, under a wider range of hydraulic operating conditions...
Fish in Flume during draining at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory facility
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.
River herring in a 6 ft holding tank
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.
Low flow weir over a conventional fish ladder 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 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.
Dam and Fish Ladder collection site in Old Lyme, CT
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.
Scale model of a novel fish ladder
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