stream channel creation for irrigation return flow

joe's creek, oregon

Inter-Fluve was part of a design team hired by Farmers Irrigation District to design and help implement a new irrigation supply transmission line, sediment control measures at the diversion intake, a fish screen, and a screen bypass for a hydropower and irrigation operation. Inter-Fluve was primarily involved in the sediment control measures and the screen bypass, but also provided an oversight and team role in other aspects of the project lead by other consulting team members. The Hood River drains approximately 50% of glaciated Mount Hood and produces large volumes of annual sediment. Inter-Fluve’s sediment control design, a continuous flush system that constantly returns extracted sediment to the Hood River within 800 feet of the point of diversion, optimizes the operational capacity of the diversion, prevents sediment from entering the new pipeline infrastructure and decreases the amount of time and money spent on diversion maintenance on the Hood River.

Inter-Fluve also developed an innovative bypass system by creating a stream channel that returns fish to the Hood River and also increases available rearing habitat in the watershed. 180 feet of new channel construction was cut into the current grade from the new fish screen outlet to an existing ephemeral channel, thus providing year-round stream flow. Inter-Fluve imported large wood material and created natural habitat features that provided rearing habitat immediately following water introduction. Construction was completed in the summer of 2002.

Project Owner

Hood River, Oregon

Project Elements

Hydraulic/sediment mobility analysis

Channel creation

Screen design technical review

Large woody debris placement

Fish rearing habitat creation

Construction oversight