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Although small and medium-size dams are prevalent in North America, few studies have described their year-round impacts on the thermal regime of rivers. The objective of this study was to quantify the impacts of two types of dams (run-of-river, storage with shallow reservoirs) on the thermal regime of rivers in eastern Canada. Thermal impacts of dams were assessed (i) for the open water period by evaluating their influence on the annual cycle in daily mean water temperature and residual variability and (ii) for the ice-covered winter period by evaluating their influence on water temperature duration curves. Overall, results showed that the run-of-river dam (with limited storage capacity) did not have a significant effect on the thermal regime of the regulated river. At the two rivers regulated by storage dams with shallow reservoirs (mean depth < 6 m), the annual cycle in daily mean water temperature was significantly modified which led to warmer water temperatures in summer and autumn. From August to October, the monthly mean water temperature at rivers regulated by storage dams was 1.4 to 3.9°C warmer than at their respective reference sites. During the open water period, the two storage dams also reduced water temperature variability at a daily timescale while increased variability was observed in regulated rivers during the winter. Storage dams also had a warming effect during the winter and the winter median water temperature ranged between 1.0 and 2.1°C downstream of the two storage dams whereas water temperature remained stable and close to 0°C in unregulated rivers. The biological implications of the altered thermal regimes at rivers regulated by storage dams are discussed, in particular for salmonids. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for water withdrawal continues to increase worldwide. These water withdrawals from rivers can affect fish habitat and aquatic life. As such, environmental flow assessment methods are used in order to protect rivers against excessive water withdrawals. The concept of environmental flow relates to the quantity of water required in rivers to sustain an acceptable level of living conditions for aquatic biota at various phases of their development. For many agencies, environmental flow methods are essential in environmental impact assessments and in the protection of important fisheries resources. The present study deals with the evaluation of hydrologically based environmental flow methods within the Maritime Province of Canada. In total, six hydrologically based environmental flow methods were compared using data from 52 hydrometric stations across the region. Some methods provided adequate environmental flow protection (e.g. 25% mean annual flow and Q50 flow duration method); however, other methods did not provide adequate flow protection (e.g. Q90 flow duration method and 7Q10 and 7Q2 low-flow frequency). The 70% Q50 method provided adequate flow protection only under good baseflow conditions and should be applied with extreme caution. The present study shows the importance of the hydrologic flow regime, particularly as it pertains to the baseflow component, as a significant determinant in the level of instream flow protection. © 2014 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. River Research and Applications © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Climate change models predict a 2 to 6° C increase in air temperature within the next 100 years in the Maritime Provinces of eastern Canada. Higher air temperatures are expected to contribute to increased water temperatures, alterations in stream flow conditions, and ultimately reductions in fish growth. Mean annual size-at-age of juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar decreased in the Northwest Miramichi and Southwest Miramichi Rivers between 1971–1999. Lengths-at-age of juveniles were significantly correlated between the two rivers. For Atlantic salmon parr, stronger associations between inter-cohort fork length (LF) than intra-cohortLF were observed, suggesting that environmental conditions in the current year of growth have the more significant effects on size of age 2 year parr than conditions encountered the previous year by age 1 year parr of the same cohort. Fork lengths of parr were significantly and negatively associated with spring air and water temperatures. In the Miramichi River, increases in air and water temperature as predicted from climate change models may adversely affect growth of juvenile Atlantic salmon parr, reducing the overall productivity of the Atlantic salmon populations in this region. Copyright 2002 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]