54-0

p 

PD - L-V/lt~

Cramer97.doc, 08/14/98, 2:02 PM

Evaluation of a Louver Guidance S stem and Eicher Screen for Fish Protection at the

Sullivan Plant in Ore on. 1997.

P. Cramer

The T. W. Sullivan Plant is a diversion project, which is located at Willamette Falls in Clackamas

County, Oregon. Included with in the plant are 13 turbines. The maximum flow is

approximately 5 200 cis, with 43 feet of head, producing 16.6 megawatts (Cramer, 1997). Fish

mortality had risen due to passage through turbines. Although full screens were an option, they

were not the most cost effective solution for the plant. A look at louvers was then suggested.

Since installation in 1972, many alterations have been made to the system. The current

configuration has existed since 1992. It includes three parts: forebay guidance system, turbine

bypass system, and the fish evaluator (Cramer, 1997).

The flow enters the forebay at 900, which enabled the plant to use the trash racks that were

present as the louver system. All sharp angles were eliminated and a training wall was added.

The forebay has a depth of 22 feet.

As for the turbine bypass system, a wedge-wire bar screen was installed in two sections, a front

and a back. The loading for the screen was about 250 pounds per square foot. Screen cleaning is

automated and on heavy loading days, may have to be cleaned 24 times in a 24 hour interval

(Cramer, 1997).

Once passed through the bypass system the fish will be carried to an evaluator. It consists of a

main discharge channel, a test channel, and a holding box. There are two modes available: the

bypass and the fishing positions. In the bypass mode, the test channel is closed and the fish and

water pass through the main discharge channel and down a spillway chute to the tailrace. In the

fishing mode, a bar screen separates the main and test channels. Approximately three quarters of

the flow passes through the screen and back into the main channel. The fish and remaining flow

pass down the test channel. The fish are then transported to the holding box (Cramer, 1997).

The fish being tested were marked using passive integrated transponder tags. During each shift

of eight hours, 100 fish are collected and examined. Individual fish are determined to be either

mortality, ok, descaled (:;:.20% scale loss), or injured (fresh wounds, deformation, strange

swimming patterns) (Cramer, 1997).

Despite some problems and setbacks throughout the testing phases, the mortality rate was

believed to have decreased from 11 % to 3 % (Cramer 1997).
5fD FP-FDEV ALUA TION OF A LOUVER GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND EICHER SCREEN FOR

FISH PROTECTION AT THE T. W. SULLIAN PLANT IN OREGON

Douglas P Cramer

Portland General Electric, 121 SW Salmon St, Portland OR. 97204 USA

Abstract

The T. W. Sullivan Plant is a run of the river diversion project on the WiIIamette River in Oregon. The Project has 13

turbines and at full load draws about 200 cubic feet per second (cfs) to produce 16.6 megawatts. Since 1972 Portland

General Electric (pGE) has been modifying and evaluating a system to safely pass juvenile migrant salmonids. Forebay

trash racks were slightly modified to act as louvers and a training wall added to provide a more laminar flow. Fish are

guided through the forebay past the first 12 units to unit 13. In 1980 the unit 13 penstock was retrofitted with an Eicher

pressure screen to divert fish into a bypass pipe leading to a fish evaluation area. Flow through unit 13 is approximately

400 cfs while flow through the bypass is maintained at 50 cfs. With the current facility configuration, fish entering the

forebay exhibit average bypass efficiencies of 92%, 82% and 85% for spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha),

faIl chinook and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) respectively. Over 500 OOO:fish were examined for Injmy and

descaling ITom 1991 through 1995. The average occurrance of injury and descaling, for all species all years, was 0.44%

and 1. 81 % respcetively.

Description

The T. W. Sullivan Plant (FERC number 2233) is a run-or-river diversion project located at Willamette Falls on the

WiIIamette River in Clackamas County, Oregon. The Project has 13 turbines (12 Kaplan and 1 Francis) and at full load

draws about 200 cfs at an average of 43 feet of head to produce 16.6 megawatts.

Tests conducted by the Fish Commission of Oregon (now the Oregon Department ofFish and Wildlife) indicated the

juvenile salmonids experienced turbine passage mortality ranging ITom 8% to 12 % in the Kaplan units to 14% to 26%

in the Francis unit. Full screening was considered too expensive, so PGE began to look at the potential of using a louver

system which would be compatable with the shape of the forebay and flow pattern configuration. If the louver worked

the original idea was to remove Unit 13 and engineer some kind of bypass to the tailrace. The end result was to leave

Unit 13 in place and install a complete penstock screen. Since installation and testing of this system began in 1972

numerous modifications have been made to both the fish guidance and bypass systems. The results reported in this paper

are for the current configuration that has existed since 1992.

There are three major components to the SuIIivan downstream migrant bypass system: the forebay guidance system, the

turbine bypass system, and the fish evaluator. Fish are guided through the forebay to Unit 13 which is the only unit with

an Eicher screen. Once fish are entrained in Unit 13 they are diverted by the Eicher screen into a bypass conduit which

leads to the evaluator. In the evaluator fish can be passed directly to the tailrace or can be captured for examination.

Forebay Guidance System

Flow enters the Sullivan forebay nearly perpendicular to the turbine intakes. This configuration has allowed PGE to use

the trash racks as a louver system to guide fish. First the trash racks were realigned to eliminate sharp angles and a

training waIl was added in the forebay opposite the units to provide a more laminar flow (Figure 1). Trash racks in ITont

of units 1 through 3 have 1 inch spacing. The racks in ITont of units 4 through 12 have 1 ~ inch spacing and are

constructed of flat bars. The racks in ITont of Unit 13 are cylindrical bars with 5 inch openings to reduce the chance of

injury and encourage fish movement into the unit

The depth of the forebay is fairly uniform and averages about 22 feet The head and flow vary differently at the Sullivan

Plant than at most hydro plants in that as the flow goes up the head decreases. This is due to the restricted channel

configuration below the project that causes the tailrace to raise faster than the forebay during high water events. The

velocities across the trash racks generally decrease ITom Unit 1 downstream to Unit 13 (Table I).
Methods

Guidance Efficiency

While numerous species offish pass through the Sullivan bypass system, only anadromous salmonids have been

evaluated. FaIl chinook, spring chinook and steelhead have been tested for Fish guidance efficiency (FGE). When

possible, hatchery fish are tested separately ITom wild fish.

Initially, partial fin-marks were used to identifY test fish. In 1992 we switched ITom using partial :fin marks on test fish to

Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. This has greatly improved our ability to conduct tests. Since the tags allow

identification of individual fish we can run several tests concurrently, and we eliminate errors associated with marking,

mark identification and data transcription. Most importantly, large numbers offish (~70 OOO a day) can be interrogated

for tags without handling. The PIT tag detector is located on the six inch pipe that carries fish to the holding box in the

evaluator.

Test fish are released at two locations to determine FGE. A calibration release is made directly into the plunge pool of

the evaluator. This allows us to determine the detection rate of the PIT tag interrogation system. A forebay release is

made at the head racks (approximately 200 feet upstream of Unit #1) which allows us to estimate the number offish that

are guided past the first 12 units into Unit 13. FGE equals the percent detected from a forebay release divided by the

percent detected from the calibration release. Due to a change in methodology, calibration tests used prior to 1994 are

not used. For forebays tests, which there were no corresponding calibrations, an average of all calibrations for that

species was used.

Generally, groups of test fish are captured in the evaluator, measured to the nearest millimeter (rom) fork length and are

PIT tagged. The fish are held for a minimum of 12 hours before release to allow recovery. Forebay tests are conducted

with groups of 100 fish while calibration tests consist of groups of 50 fish. Tests are not conducted when water

temperature exceeds 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

It often takes more than ten days for all of the fish ITom a forebay release to pass through the system, making it difficult

to test a specific condition. We attempt to do releases once a week during the migration period to cover all of the

different environmental conditions. Although calibration and forebay releases are done concurrently, we use an average

8IUmal calibration for a given species because of the extended detection period for forebay released fish.

Inimy and Descaling

A minimum of 100 fish captured in the evaluator during each eight hour shift, three days a week were examined. Fish

were identified as descaled, injured, mortality or ok. A fish was descaled based on the criteria of 20% or more scale loss

on one side of the fish. Fish were considered injured if any ftesh wounds, physical deformity or abnormal swimming

behavior was observed.

48 Hour Mortalily

To examine the potential for delayed mortality as a result of negotiating the bypass, fish were held for 48 hours. Twice

each month ITom March through June approximately 300 fish were collected as they entered the holding box and placed

in tanks supplied with WiIIamette River water. The tanks were opened after 48 hours, the fish were counted by species

and mortalities recorded.

Results

Guidance Efficiency

All guidance efficiency tests conducted in 1995 and after May 13, 1996 were discarded due to a malfunction of the PIT

tag detection system. Due to an insufficient number of wild smolts, or our inability to distinguish between hatchery and

wild fish, wild fish have not been tested separately.

Spring Chinook

For spring chinook, the average guidance efficiency for all tests combined is 90% (Table 2). No difference between the

size of the fish released and those recaptured has been detected over the size range tested (14Omm to 295rom).
To address the concern of our release methodology causing stress we initiated a second release method. The original

method involved holding fish in tanks supplied with Willamette River water overnight after tagging. Fish were dip netted

ITom the tanks and hauled to the head racks in plastic cans where they were released through a 6-inch flex hose behind

the head racks. For the second method, fish are taken directly after tagging to a live box anchored about 30 feet

upstream of the head racks. The fish are held overnight and released by opening up the live box. The problem with the

second method is that fish could avoid entering the Sullivan Plant forebay. Five paired test (two steelhead and three

spring chinook) have been completed with no differences in FGE between the two methods.

Injury. Descalin and 48 Hour Mortali

Injury, descaling and 48 hour mortality have all been low. It is important to note that the levels reported here are for run

of the river fish. For these tests, there is no control group to separate bypass induced descaling, injury or mortality ITom

background levels.

sage of Non Salmonids

Although salmonids have been the only species tested for FGE, injury, descaling and mortality, we can make some

comments based on general observations. Juvenile American shad (A/osa sapidissima) are probably the most abundant

fish passing through Sullivan. These fish, ranging in size ITom 50mm to 120IllIIl, seem to come through the bypass okay

but do not do well in the evaluator and any disturbance seems to cause mortality. Largemouth and smallmouth bass

bluegill, yellow perch and brown bullhead of all sizes seem to pass through with little injury or mortality. Crappie

appear to suffer the greatest injury with the rate increasing with size.

eration Maintenance and Cost

The Eicher pressure screen has been in use at the Sullivan Plant for 16 years. The screen shows no sign of wear and has

needed repair only once when a piece of debris caused a small section (8 inch square) of bars to separate. Automation

of the cleaning cycle has decreased labor and the time it takes to cycle. Also, since heavy debris loads tend to coincide

with high water events it allows the operator to focus on other critical functions.

The narrower spacing of the louver trash rack system does result in more debris build up (mostly from leaffall) that

requires temporary shutdowns to clean the racks. The wider spacing of the bars in ITont of unit 13 allows larger sticks

getting into unit 13 during cleaning cycles resulting in broken wicket gate links. Debris accumulates in the plunge pool

in the evaluator which needs to be cleaned out five or six times a year. The cost of these items are included under annual

maintenance in Table 7. In addition to the costs listed in Table 7, we anticipate that some additional costs will be

incurred in the form of compensation to the State for unmitigated fish loss.

Summary

Since 1972 PGE has installed, tested and modified a downstream migrant fish protection system at the T. W. Sullivan

Plant in Oregon. The system is comprised of a louver system in the forebay to guide fish to Unit 13, a complete

penstock screen and bypass in Unit 13 and an evaluator to test the system. PGE believes the system as it currently exists

has been successful in reducing juvenile salmonid mortality ITom generally greater than 11 % to less than 3 % with

relatively minimal annual costs. In addition, the evaluator has proven to be a valuable tool in obtaining significant

biological information.
Table 3. Average forebay recovery rates and the estimated guidance efficiency for fall chinook at the T. W. Sullivan

Plant.

Fall Chinook Forebay Releases

Year Number ofFish Percent Calibration Rate Fish Guidance

Released Recovered Applied Efficiency (FGE)

1993 592 84% 94% 89%

1993 105 77% 94% 82%

1993 203 70% 94% 74%

Average FGE 82%

Table 4. Average calibration and forebay recovery rates and the estimated guidance efficiency for steelhead at the

T. W. Sullivan Plant.

Steel head Calibration Tests

Year Number of Fish per Release Range in Percent Average Recovery

Releases Recovery

1994 100 N/A 91%

1996 78 - 90% 83%

Forebay Releases

Year Number of Fish per Range in Percent Average Calibration Fish

Releases Release Recovery Recovery Rate Applied Guidance

Efficiency

(FGE)

1993 135 74 - 86% 79% 87% 91%

1994 105 N/A 79% 91% 87%

1996 56 - 76% 64% 83% 77%

Average FGE 85%
Table 6. Results of 48 hour mortality test conducted on juvenile salmonids after passing through the T. W. Sullivan

Plant fish bypass.

Sample Size Mortalities Percent Mortality

1993 459 00%

1994 370 00%

1995 281 91%

1996 1019 1.37%

Cummulative Totals 2129 I.I 7%

Average Percent Delayed Mortality 32%

Sample Size Mortalities Percent Mortality

1993 613 1.79%

1994 210 2.38%

1995 1015 1.97%

1996

Cumulative Totals 1838 96%

Average Percent Delayed Mortality 05%

Sample Size Mortalities Percent Mortality

1993 00%

1994 00%

1995 228 00%

1996 791 1.26%

Cumulative Totals 1146

Average Percent Delayed Mortality 32%
APPROXIMATEL Y

200 FT. UPSTREAM TO

MAIN HEADRACKS

SULLIVAN DIVERSION

FLOW APPROX. 5200CFS.

FLOW

~ S. GOVERNMENT CANAL

FOREBAY 5' SPACING ON BAR

LOCKS

SIMPSON

PAPER

COMPANY

FISH BYPASS & EVALUATOR

Figure I Plan View of the T. W. Sullivan Plant Forebay Showing Relative Location of Turbines, Guiding Trash Racks, Training wall and Fish Bypass

1~' SPACING ON RACKS

LNIT 2

HIOtINE le e e SItOI' LIIIT I LIIIT :I

lillY 4 lillY , LNIT 8 LNIT II 

\ \

(i) (f) (f) (i)" G) (f) (i) (f) \ \ lillY II LIIIT 7 LNIY 'I LNIT II 'r.hJ3 SULLIVAN PLANT CB 11J1

IT 12 I 

OfFICE TAIL RACE

GENERATOR FLOOR EL.65.00'

BYPASS OUTFALL TO

WILLAMETTE RIVER

WILLAMETTE IVER

LOCATION PLAN
FISH STORAGE BOX

ORAIN

I PARTITION AS REQUIRED) 

r--- FISH HOLDING TANK STAIRS. DOWN 

MAIN WEIR GATE FISH DISCHARGE TO SPILLWAY SINK AND LAB TABLE I I LL____- I I

l L__. 

_ DRAIN 

BYPASS POSITION

MAIN CHANNEL MAIN DISCHARGE RAMP

BELOW

MOVABLE

VERTICAL

SCREENS

FLOW 

36 CFS TO RIVER 

FLOW 

I~ CFS TO RIVER

DRAW OFF SCREEN

BAR SCREE TEST DISCHARGE

CHUTE

Figure 3 Plan View of the T. W. Sullivan Project Fish Bypass Fish Evaluator