Switchback™
The adaptable low-maintenance solution for elver mobility
Overview
The Switchback™ is a modular device that helps elvers, or young eels, climb over barriers in waterways. It consists of a series of ramps and pools with a proprietary climbing substrate. The Switchback™ is designed to prevent predators from entering. The solution can accommodate climbing heights from 2’ to more than 20’, and allows elvers to reach a collection chamber or conduit to bypass the obstacle.
Benefits
Predator Exclusion
The Switchback™ is a unique elver passage device that allows water and elver to flow through its ramps, while preventing predators from entering. This ensures a high survival rate and a low environmental impact for the elver population.
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Optimal Climbing Substrate
The Switchback™ uses gravity-fed or pumped water to create a gentle spill that wets the EF-16 climbing substrate, a proprietary material that enhances elver climbing. The EF-16 has evenly spaced conical projections and depressions that provide traction and resting areas for the elver as they ascend the ramps.
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Fresh Water Circulation
The resting pools and collection chamber are continuously fed fresh water, reducing the risk of disease transfer and unhealthy water environment.
Water Level Adaptation
The Switchback™ has a mesh wall feature that adapts to the fluctuating water levels in the waterway. The mesh wall allows elver to access the ramps from any direction and height, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the device.
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Modular Design
The Switchback™ is designed as an assembly of stacked modular components that can be customized to different heights and configurations. There are three types of modules: the bottom module, the top module, and the middle module. The bottom module has mesh across the bottom, one ramp to pool, and small adjustable foot supports to accommodate unlevel ground. The top module has a solid top that shields against sun/daylight and inclement weather, and also contains the final ramp to the temporary collection chamber, and the plumbing connections for the water supply and the attraction flow. The middle module has one back-and-forth ramp series. Multiple middle modules can be stacked to increase the height of the Switchback™. The modular design allows for easy installation, transportation, and storage of the device.
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Weather Protection
The Switchback™ has a solid top that protects the device and the elver from sun/daylight and inclement weather. The solid top also ensures a consistent water volume and attraction flow throughout the device, regardless of the external conditions.
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Collection and Passage System
The Switchback™ has a temporary collection chamber at the top of the device, where the elver can rest after climbing the final ramp. The collection chamber has an open port-to-hose connection that leads to a collection vessel or provides passage around or over the barrier. The collection and passage system allows for easy and safe passage of the elver, and minimizes stress and injury to the animals.
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Versatile Positioning
The Switchback™ can be positioned in various ways, depending on the waterway and the barrier. It can be free-standing within a waterway near the shore, anchored to the bottom, or wall-mounted via a fixed rack, suspending the Switchback™ partially submerged. The versatile positioning allows for optimal placement and performance of the device in different environments.
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Easy Installation and Maintenance
The Switchback™ is easy to handle and simple to assemble, making installation straightforward and servicing trouble-free by one person. The compact, modular components can be quickly put together or taken apart and require minimal maintenance and cleaning. The Switchback™ is a user-friendly and cost-effective device that delivers high-quality results.
