Brett Towler

Dr. Towler is a senior civil engineer with over 25 years of experience.  He has extensive experience in the design, evaluation, and optimization of upstream and downstream fish‑passage systems across a wide range of hydraulic structures. His work includes the development of upstream eelways, fish‑lift and fishway entrance hydraulics, vertical slot and Denil‑type ladders, and high‑efficiency passage systems for migratory species such as American shad, river herring, sturgeon, eel, and salmonids. He has applied hydrodynamics, biomechanics, and computational modeling (i.e., CFD) to refine attraction flows, gate and diffuser operations, and fishway sizing and capacity. His project portfolio includes optimizing fish‑lift entrance performance, developing turbine‑entrainment and fish‑mortality models, assessing exclusion and guidance measures, and evaluating passage concepts at facilities with complex hydraulics and multi‑unit hydro stations. Dr. Towler has also contributed to peer‑reviewed research and federal design criteria, ensuring that fish‑passage solutions integrate biological performance, hydraulic efficiency, and operational reliability.