Pettit Creek Sockeye Adult/Smolt Trapping Facility

Shoshone Bannock Tribe,
Idaho

Consulting Role

  • Designer
  • Trap Planning Alternatives Analysis
  • Permitting
  • Civil Engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Hydraulic Analysis
  • Cost estimating
  • Construction support
  • Dewatering Planning

Project Members

  • Jason Hill, P.E.
  • Eric Orton, P.E.
  • Andy Blake

National Award Recipient

  • ACEC Grand Award

International Award Recipient

  • FIDIC Highly Commended Award

Project Phase

  • Completed 2020

Key Elements

  • Seasonal Smolt Traps for Each Bay
  • Seasonal Adult picket Barrier
  • Adult holding and handling Trap
  • Precast Barrier Foundation
  • Weathering Steel
  • Meets NOAA Guidelines
  • NOAA Reviewed Facility for Compliance
  • Worker Safety

The Shoshone Bannock Tribe (SBT) had a vision and a need to remove an antiquated adult and smolt trapping facility that was not effective at capturing and holding adults in a fish healthy manner nor was the facility effective in enumerating smolt out migration. In addition, the existing facility was prone to being over-topped in the spring and did not provide a safe working environment for staff.

To address these challenges, the team worked hand in hand with the SBT to first develop an alternative analysis of various types of technologies to replace the existing facility while meeting work safety, smolt migration trapping and adult migration trapping.

Pettit Creek Trapping Facility

The facility that rose to the top was a fixed panel seasonal adult picket barrier angle to direct fish to a left bank holding trap. The trap and barrier facility were designed to NOAA criteria and accepted by NOAA through the design review process.

The adult picket panels are removable to allow for off season uninterrupted creek flow and the use of the smolt traps which can be lowered down into position.  During smolt trapping the traps are lowered to contact stop logs at the leading each allowing the fish to slip across horizontal dewater panels to trap buckets.

Pettit Creek Trapping Facility
Pettit Creek Trapping Facility

The facility was designed with weathering steel so that it would blend into the natural landscape. The picket panels and traps are constructed of aluminum and stainless steel to offer durability.

The trap box can be lifted to gain access to the fish in a direct manner with a net or the trap floor can be dogged off to allow for workers to enter the trap to work the fish. The facility is designed with fish health in mind meeting NOAA Criteria for holding and worker safety to work the fish through the hydrograph of the spring runoff flows.