Fish Screen Design Criteria

General

Intake screens are typically designed to protect fish from being entrained into a diversion AND to prevent them from being impinged on the screen surface.  This means that the screen openings must be small enough to keep the fish out and that there is enough screen area to allow the fish to swim away without injury.  There are also requirements for providing good hydraulic conditions, keeping the screens clean, and for siting them appropriately in a river, canal, or lake environment.

Several state and federal agencies have guidelines and design criteria for fish protection.  Generally the more conservative criteria will govern; however, there are variances and exceptions to these guidelines since each project is unique.  A well designed facility will also consider the pump or diversion requirements as well as operations and maintenance issues.

ISI’s engineers are familiar with the regulatory design requirements and are experienced in selecting an appropriate design for your new or retrofit project.  We can guide you through the complicated design issues and determine which options makes the most sense - even if an ISI screen is not the most appropriate option!

Below we have referenced several intake screen design criteria that may be applicable to your project.  Please review our project examples to see if your project has similar needs.  Please call us to assist.

Fish Screen Design Criteria Information and Program Links

Family Water Alliance - Sacramento Valley Fish Screen Program and Criteria

http://www.fwafishforum.com/FScriteria.htm#top

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation - Fish Protection at Water Diversions Design Manual

http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/hydraulics_lab/pubs/manuals/fishprotection/index.html

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) - Fish Screen Criteria - Southwest Region

http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/sr/fishscrn.pdf

http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/hcd/HCD_webContent/nocal/fishscreenprgm.htm

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) - Fish Passage/Protection Manual - Northwest Region

http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Publications/Reference-Documents/Passage-Refs.cfm

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Fish Passage Program Information

http://www.fws.gov/fisheries/fwma/fishpassage/

California Department of Fish and Game - Fish Screen Design Criteria

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Resources/Projects/Engin/Engin_ScreenCriteria.asp

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife - Fish Screen Criteria and Grant Program Infomation:

http://www1.wrd.state.or.us/pdfs/ODFW_Fish_Screening_Criteria.pdf

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/passage/grants.asp

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife - Fish Screen Criteria and Guidance Manual

http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/hab/engineer/habeng.htm#dwnstrm

Idaho Department of Fish and Game - Fish Screen Program Information

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/tech/screenshop/

Canada Fisheries and Oceans - Guidelines for Intake End-of-Pipe Screens

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/habitat/role/141/1415/14155/pipe/index-eng.asp

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Cooling Water Intake Structure Regulations

http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/316b/