# Presentation: 316946

## The Early History of Fish Screening in Washington: 1905 - 1955

- John A. Easterbrooks
- Regional Fish Program Manager – Region 3
- Wash. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (Yakima)

## WA Fish Screening Laws

- WA achieves statehood in 1889; first Legislature adopts “Fisheries Code” and creates Dept. of Fisheries and Fisheries Patrol (enforcement)
- Legislature passes first screening statute in 1905
- Only applies to irrigation diversions on streams where state fish hatcheries are located
- Specified a 1⁄4” mesh opening for juvenile fish
- 1905 statute repealed in 1915 and replaced with law that expanded scope to include _all_ water diversion _types_ (irrigation, M&I, domestic), but still only on waters with state fish hatcheries
- Legislature did not expand scope to include _all_ diversions on _all_ waters until 1947/49 (WDG/WDF)

## Screening Law vs. Technology

- Despite good intentions, screening technology during the first 20-25 years after passage of the 1905 screening law had not developed to the stage to be technically viable and legally enforceable.
- Early screens were “passive”, manually-cleaned flat [plate] screens; not acceptable to most water users and soon abandoned.
- WA Dept. of Fisheries & Game (pre-1932 break up into WDF and WDG) is unable to protect juvenile or even adult fish from entrainment in water diversions because “active”, self-cleaning screening technology not available.

## Electric Fish Barrier Development: 1917-37

- In Sept. 1917, H.T. Burkey files his first of five patent applications beginning his nearly 20 year development of the “Burkey Electric Fish Stop”.
- In April 1920, the Yakima Co. Game Commission purchases the patent rights to construct Mr. Burkey’s 1st generation electric fish stop on 10 diversions; cost: $1,500
- Power was 110 Volt A.C. supplied by commercial lines, or more commonly, a Model-T Ford magneto turned by a paddlewheel.
- Successive pairs of electrodes were connected to progressively higher voltage to produce gradual electrical field to repel fish from entering canal.

## Electric Fish Barriers (continued)

- Report from Supervisor of Game and Game Fish [Division] (WA Dept. of Fisheries & Game, 1923):
- “*Early in 1921, we made a survey of fish stops installed by the Yakima Co. Game Commission and found they had not discovered the exact amount of electricity necessary to prevent the fish from entering the ditches.” *Nevertheless, he continues:
- “*If the Dept. had sufficient funds, we would endeavor to place suitable electric fish stops at the entrance of each large irrigation ditch in WA.  It would cost, in round figures, about $100,000...but the net results for even a year would pay back the cost.”*

## Electric Fish Barriers (continued)

- “*While experimenting with this fish stop, we discovered that it requires very little electricity to kill a fish.”*
- The generally favorable attitude in WA toward electric fish barriers reversed after several years of experimentation.  Dr. John Cobb, Dean of the College of Fisheries, U. of Wash., was supportive in 1922, but wrote the following in 1926:
- “*We carried out some experiments at the College, but these did not encourage us that this was a feasible way to keep fish out of irrigation ditches.”*
- In 1927, Dr. Cobb wrote: “It is problematic whether

## Electric Fish Barriers (continued)

*...**this device accomplished the purpose sought...my investigation led me to think that a much safer device would be the rotary fish screen.”*
- The attitude of the WA Dept. of Fisheries & Game towards electric fish barriers also gradually changed.  In a June 1926 letter, Charles Pollock, Supervisor of Fisheries [Division] said:
- “*I investigated these irrigation ditches three years ago and reported on the inefficiency of the electric fish stops and recommended aggressive action...in working out something practical...”.*
- By 1926, most electric fish barriers in the NW abandoned by the state and county fish resource entities and WA State looking for viable alternative

## Electric Fish Barriers (continued)

- The Feds (U.S. Bureau of Fisheries) and Mr. Burkey continue to experiment/refine the electric fish stop from the late 1920’s through late 1930’s while WA shifts to developing active drum screens
- Test installation utilizing pulse D.C. current installed on the Tieton Canal (320 cfs) in 1928 powered by a D.C. hydroelectric plant
- Pulse D.C. fish stops installed in 1929 on the Wapato (WIP) main canal (1,800 cfs) and Sunnyside Canal (1,500 cfs) with commercial A.C. converted to D.C.

## H.T. Burkey, inventor of electric fish barrier, 1929

## Electric Fish Barriers (continued)

- By 1931, even the Feds are having doubts about
- the performance of Burkey’s electric fish stop as evidenced by a quote from the annual report for 1930 (Baker and Gilroy, 1931):
- “*In the use of the electric screen to prevent small fish migrating downstream from entering irrigation and power intakes, it appears that this device will never be entirely positive in its action as is the mechanical screen of the type described in the previous chapter.”** *[rotating drum]* *
- In “Progress in Biological Inquiries – 1931” (Higgins, 1932), the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries researchers went further in their criticism:

## Electric Fish Barriers (continued)

- “*Three years of operation with the electric screen has disclosed the weaknesses of this type of fish protective device. The chief difficulty is the antagonism...in the public mind when some fish are killed or stunned by contact with the electrified water...[which] creates a problem in public relations which cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, the action of the electric screen can never be expected to be 100 percent effective as is the mechanical screen.  Another difficulty is the patent situation, which raises a restriction which can be avoided by use of the mechanical screen.  For these reasons the investigators do not recommend the electric screen for general use.”** *

## Electric Fish Barriers (end)

- Feds abandon electric fish barriers in WA after 1934; rotating drum screens installed on large federal canals in the Yakima Basin from 1935-41.

## Charlie Cobb: The Story of the Congdon Canal Drum Screen 

- In 1887, Chester A. Congdon (builder of Congdon’s Castle) arrives in Yakima.
- In early 1890’s he commissions construction of the Congdon Canal to divert about 50 cfs from the Naches R. to irrigate his orchards in West Valley.
- Congdon Canal completed in 1895 to serve 3,000 acres; extended in 1902-03 to serve additional 1,000 acres; Yakima Valley Canal Co. (YVCC) formed to operate the Congdon Canal.
**Charles Acey Cobb** born 1881 in Wyoming; came to Yakima with his family in 1889.  Cobb began working for the YVCC in 1902 at age 21.

## Charlie Cobb & Congdon (cont.)

- In 1905, Cobb is promoted to YVCC superintendent of shops (chief mechanic)
- Cobb had no formal engineering training, but had over 25 years of mechanical and fabrication experience when he began development of an “active”, self-cleaning, rotating drum screen for the Congdon Canal in 1926.
- Cobb was an inventor, builder and conservationist interested in protecting fish life; he convinced the YVCC Board of Directors to allow him to conduct R&D into rotating drum screen design and construction.
- According to Eugene and Robert Eschbach, the

## Charlie Cobb & Congdon (cont.)

-     Congdon Canal had a Burkey electric fish stop installed in the early 1920’s by the Yakima Co. Game Comm., but it proved to be ineffective in keeping out fish.
- Working over a three-year period (1926-28), Cobb perfected his drum screen installation. (approx. cost $3-5K). The screen was new or in the second year of operation when observed by **H.O. Hoggatt**, WDF&G biological investigator, on June 16, 1928.
- Drive mechanism was sophisticated for its day utilizing a 12’ dia. x 8’ paddlewheel, right angle beveled gears at both ends of a 23-foot jointed drive shaft, and a drive gear connected to a large “bull gear” attached to the circumference of the 7’ dia. x 12’ long drum screen.

## Charlie Cobb on Congdon Screen, 

- Charlie Cobb on Congdon Screen,
- Circa 1928

- Myrtle & Charlie Cobb, circa
- mid-1950’s (retired)

## Original power train gearing on Congdon Canal Fish Screen

## Congdon Screen being reinstalled after upgrade, Mar. 1988

## Charlie Cobb & Congdon (end)

- Congdon Canal screen is the earliest known, continuously operated rotating drum screen in WA
- Protected fish for at least 65 irrigation seasons (1928 – 1993); refurbished in 1958 and 1988; replaced with current BPA Phase 2 screen in 1994
- Site placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991; old screen donated to the Central WA Agricultural Museum in Union Gap by YVCC
- Charlie Cobb retired from the YVCC in 1954 with 46 years of service; he died in Dec. 1956 at the age of 75.

## WDF&G Fish Entrainment Investigations: 1926-30

- In 1926, **Charles Maybury**, Director, WA Dept. of Fisheries & Game, directs agency staff to begin a five-year study of Yakima Basin water diversions with the objective of quantitatively documenting fish entrainment/mortalities [_origin of WDFW Fish Screening Program_]
- Reports from 1926-27 now lost, but partial or complete reports exist for 1928-30.
**H.O. Hoggatt**, who observed and described the operation of the Congdon drum screen in June 1928, was the “biological investigator” in 1928.
**Ernest M. Brannon, Sr. **was the investigator in 1929 (father of Dr. Ernie Brannon, Jr., Univ. of Idaho Professor of Fisheries Science; worked for WDF for 55 years---still holds the record for longest career in WA state government: 1928-1983)

## WDF&G Fish Entrainment Investigations (cont.)

- WDF biological investigators paid to collect entrained fish from major irrigation canals using hook & line, dip nets, traps, etc.
- Hoggatt and Brannon primarily sampled the Wapato (WIP), Sunnyside (SVID) and Tieton (YTID) Canals, but also some smaller diversions.
- Annual reports consist of daily journal entries and photos of catches
- Photo documentation of dead salmon, steelhead, resident trout and whitefish convinced Director Maybury and Supervisor of Fisheries, Charles Pollock, that WA needed a state-funded Fish Screening Program

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## WDF&G Screening Program Origins: 1929-36

- In 1929-30, Charles Pollock directs WDF&G’s Chief Engineer, **Milo C. Bell**, to modify Charlie Cobb’s drum screen design to...“design a screen which would be every bit as substantial and yet less expensive for the ditch operators to build”.  Design drawings approved by both division supervisors (Game & Game Fish; Fisheries) and approved by WDF&G Director Maybury on Jan. 28, 1930.
- Milo Bell eliminated the shaft-drive with its more costly beveled right angle gears and direct drive gears (drum circumference “bull gear”)

## WDF&G Screening Program Origins: 1929-36 (cont.)

- “State drum screen” power train used straight gears to change rotational direction (i.e. PW counter-clockwise; drum clockwise) and less expensive flat-link chain and sprockets (large sprocket on drum shaft rather than circumference “bull” gear) to link PW to drum
- Charlie Cobb had tried to patent his Congdon drum screen design...he claimed that WDF&G stole his idea and remained angry with the State until his death. His feelings were probably justified based on a Oct. 14, 1931 “smoking gun” letter from Fisheries Div. Supervisor, Charles Pollock, to WDF&G Director, Charles Maybury, that documents the events from 1926 through 1931.

## WDF&G Screening Program Origins: 1929-36 (end)

- First WDF&G drum screens with chain-drive constructed in 1929-30 in the Dungeness River Basin (Olympic Peninsula at Sequim); 9 screens operational during 1930 irrigation season.
- Yelm Hydroelectric Project screen (Nisqually R.) and China Ditch screen (Methow R.) constructed and operational in 1931.
- 1932-35: WDF focuses on screening Methow, Entiat and Wenatchee basin diversions.
- 1935-36: First small/medium diversions screened in the Naches R. basin (safe for Milo Bell to come back into Charlie Cobb’s backyard!)

## Other Early Yakima Basin Screening: 1929-1941

- Feds (BIA) build their first WA rotating drum screen in 1929 on Wapato Irrigation Project’s Ahtanum Canal (Upper WIP); concrete structure for this double drum unit still exists.
- Feds build large multi-drum, PW-drive screen facilities on Sunnyside, WIP Main Canal, Prosser (Chandler) and Tieton (YTID) Canals from 1935-1939. The WIP Main Canal screen (10 – 13’ dia. x 12’ long drums, 2,200 cfs design flow) was completed in 1939 at a cost of $64,405.  Roza Canal screens constructed 1940-41.

## Other Early Yakima Basin Screening: 1929-1941(cont.)

- A state and federal screening partnership existed even during the early years of the program.  FDR’s Works Progress Admin. (WPA) provided $ and manpower to build concrete structures. State and diversion owners provided funds and materials to fabricate mechanical components and install the screens.
- WWII brought the screening program to a halt.  Screens not inspected or maintained for four years. Many screens on small diversions removed by farmers because lack of maintenance resulted in interruption of water deliveries.

## Yakima Screen Shop: 1946

**Harry L. Brown **appointed by WDF to be first supervisor of the Yakima Screen Shop (YSS) in late 1945.  Mr. Brown tasked with putting the screening program back together after four years of neglect.
- YSS established in 1946 with tools, materials and equipment left over from the pre-war screening program.  The shop consisted of a 22’ x 40’, one-story, wood frame building.  Most fabrication work was performed outdoors due to lack of shop space, no overhead crane, etc.

## First Yakima Screen

- Shop – circa 1950

- Painting in the YSS
- Yard – circa 1950

## Man-handling a screen

- (pre-boom truck days)

- Loaded up and ready
- for field installation

## Yakima Screen Shop: 1946 (cont.)

- In 1957, YSS moves to a new 40’ x 80’ metal building behind the old Yakima Trout Hatchery next to the airport.  Building had overhead doors and crane allowing large screens to be worked on indoors.  The same year, Harry Brown hires **R. Keith Linton**, who later becomes the 2nd YSS Supervisor when Mr. Brown retires in the late 1960’s.
- YSS moves to current W. Washington Ave. location in 1979 following construction of the 80’ x 120’ metal building.
- Keith Linton retires in late 1982; John Easterbrooks appointed 3rd Fish Screening Program Manager (and first fish biologist) at the YSS in March, 1983

## Yakima Screen Shop: 1946 (cont.)

- Nov., 1999:  John Easterbrooks leaves the YSS/Fish Screening Program to become WDFW Regional Fish Program Manager after 16+ years.
- 1999-2002:  YSS/Fish Screening Program managed by Eric Egbers, Pat Schille, Chuck Lenberg, and Ray Gilmour.
- 2002-Present:  Yakima Screen Shop becomes Yakima Construction Shop (YCS) under Business Services Program. Continued emphasis on fish screening and O&M as well as other WDFW construction projects throughout eastern Washington.
- _2006 Mileposts_
- This year marks the 60th anniversary of the YSS/YCS, the 80th anniversary marking the origin of the WDFW fish screening program, and the 101st anniversary of WA’s first fish screening law.