DATE: Wednesday, February 22nd 2017
PLACE: Hawthorne Lucky Lab Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd
TIME: 11:30 a.m. Networking, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Presentation
TOPIC: Surface Water Diversions and Fish Protection
SPEAKER: Shane Sheldon, Viento Engineering
Farmers, ranchers, hydropower producers, municipalities, fish hatcheries all commonly use surface water for their core operation. To get this water, users must build and maintain an intake and water delivery system that can transport water from a river or lake. Since these intake and conveyance systems can be located in difficult to reach or flood prone terrain miles from the point of use, operators and agencies have spent decades trying out different technologies that keeps fish, sticks, leaves, and other debris from entering the canals, clogging the system, and preventing the flow of water. While maintaining these systems is costly for water users, it has proven to be an equally large problem for fish.
Fish screens are devices placed at points of diversions to prevent the fish, organic debris, and sediment that are naturally carried along in a river system from entering the diversion. State and federal law now require fish protection screens at most diversions however Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and California each have tens of thousands of unscreened or noncompliant diversions.
The presentation will cover:
- – A brief background on fish screening in the West
- – When and why do we need fish screens?
- – Overview of the rules and regulations for fish screens
- – The basic types of fish screens and examples where they may be appropriate
- – Some general design considerations for a successful intake and screening project
Shane Sheldon is a water resource engineer and founder of Viento Engineering in Hood River, Oregon. He has been a part of several screening design projects across the Western United States as well as working with operators on the long term maintenance and upkeep of intake and screening systems.