Water Resources - Case Study

The Farmers Irrigation District has diverted water from the Hood River for hydro-power generation and irrigation for local orchard farmers since the early 1900s. The aging system put endangered fish species such as the Chinook and Coho salmon at risk, and the transmission flume system was leaky and unreliable for irrigation.

AP partnered with the District to design an innovative flat plate screen that not only increased fish survival rates to 100 percent, but also lowered the District's operating costs and resulted in a screen technology patent for the client. The fish screen utilizes automatic flow controls and irrigation diversion without power or supervision and is self-cleaning. In addition to the fish screen, AP engineered two 48-inch underground pipes to replace the leaky Lennon Flume and designed a truss bridge to support those pipes over the Hood River to transmit irrigation water to the District's orchards. AP's design assistance has helped the District greatly enhance system efficiency, avoid regulatory scrutiny, and provide more reliable service.

The District received a patent for the fish screening technology designed for this project, and AP received the 2006 American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon Grand Award.