MONTANA FISH TRAPS

MONTANA FISH TRAPS
Completed Project Examples: La Grande, OR -- Neah Bay WA -- Santa Cruz,CA

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BUILT TO ORDER BY

IRONWOOD SPECIALTIES

CONCEPT AND PERFORMANCE OF A RESISTANCE BOARD WEIR

The Montana Fish Traps have been accepted by professional Fisheries managers in several western states in recent years and has proven to produce reliable informaiton in streams that experience debris laden high water periods. The weir panels will temporarily submerge when pressure created by velocity and debris loading reaches a point that might wash a rigid weir downstream. The standard design requires no permanent structures and is considered a very low environmental impact therby eliminating most permitting issues.

This web site will familiarize the reader with designs that can be created for a specific location.

Sincerely,

Jim Yuricek, Owner

IRONWOOD SPECIALTIES,LLC

Box 185

Noxon, Montana 59853

(406) 847-2719

Email: nox5546@blackfoot.net

CONSTRUCTION and PERFORMANCE

The weir consists of a connected array of 4' x 12' panels with PVC pickets. The upstream end of each panel is hinged to a steel rail that is anchored to the stream bottom. The down stream end of each panel is lifted above the water surface by a 2' x4' resistance board that planes upward in flowing water. The angle can be adjusted and is variable with fluctuating water levels and debris loading. The weirs are virtually self-cleaning, or can be walked on, and manually cleaned.

The primary function of a resistance board weir is for trapping upstream migrating fish. The unsuccessful attempt was made in this particular design, to utilize the unit for trapping downstream migrants as well, without designing a crowder to "funnel" the fish into the downstream trap box.

This unit was installed in Bull River near Noxon, Montana in the fall of 1997.

AVISTA CORP sponsored this project and worked closely with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

Ironwood Specialties fabricated and installed the unit.

The photo above shows a site that was completed in the fall of 2000, located on a tributary to the South Fork of the Snake River near Swan Valley, Idaho. (note- the weir panels are not floating in uniformity due to the low water condition in which they were installed.) This project was sponsored by the Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game in the Upper Snake Region and Trout Unlimited.

The photo below shows IRONWOOD SPECIALTIES owner, Jim Yuricek, inspecting the Bull River trap.

PLEASE SEE REFERENCES