A well-maintained, compliant fish screen will save you money by extending the screen’s life.
How do I maintain my screen and fish bypass?
Pump screens are designed to operate under specific conditions and should require minimal maintenance. We recommend visual inspections to ensure your screen is working properly. We can teach you how to do this.
Gravity screens should be inspected weekly for leaves and debris and to confirm that the screen is working properly. The fish bypass should also be inspected to confirm there are no obstructions and fish can safely migrate to the river.
We recommend these maintenance activities for gravity screens:
- Check the water flow in the bypass channel. Adequate bypass flow assures that fish are safely and rapidly moved from the fish screen back to the river. Bypass water also flushes floating debris, sand, and silt to the river. This reduces cleaning and maintenance of the screen and the canal.
- Remove debris from the trash rack, screen, around the pump, and in the bypass channel.
- Assess your diversion site conditions. Has dry weather, a rain event, or ice changed how your diversion functions
- If water flow is lower than normal, the screen may need maintenance. Check your system for any blockages and refer to your Hydraulic Project Approval for any allowed actions to increase flow.
- If water flow is higher than normal, consider adjusting the head gate to reduce flow.
- Verify that your screen is submerged to the proper depth for your screen type.
- Repair screen when damaged to ensure proper operation and fish protection.
- Check screen seals and mechanical parts and grease as needed.
Can I hire WDFW to maintain my screen?
WDFW offers service contracts to landowners for gravity screen maintenance. With a service contract, WDFW will respond immediately to evaluate and repair any problems. A service contract is an economical and easy way to meet your maintenance obligations.