FEATURED PROJECT: Round Butte Dam Fish Passage

Round Butte Dam Fish Passage

PGE and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs spent many years researching options to restoring fish passage for salmon and steelhead around the Pelton and Round Butte Dams. Restoring fish passage in the Deschutes River Basin benefits the whole region.

Thompson Metal Fab supplied approximately 5 million pounds of fabricated steel for the following structures;
-Selective Water Bottom (SWB): structure measuring 77’ H x 60’ W x 62’ L
-Vertical Flow Conduit (VFC): 40’ Dia. x 135’ H
-Selective Water Withdrawal Top Structure (SWT):
Includes fish collection, 2 V-screen, structure measuring 60’ H x 90’ W x 150’ L
-Access Bridge (ABR): structure measuring 32’ H x 42’ W x 232’ L
-Fish Transfer Facility (FTF): 10’ H x 10’ W x 78’ L

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The structure was designed to draw water from both the surface and the bottom, accomplishing several things:

-Changes the currents to attract fish into the fish collection facility.
-Lowers the temperature of Lake Billy Chinook and improves water quality in reservoirs and the river.
-The access bridge anchors the SWT to the shoreline and provides a means to transport people, material, and equipment to the fish collection facility
-The SWT corner trim floats were fabricated, completed, and shipped to the dam in one segment 10’6” H x 20’6” W x 45’ L