Fish Screen

The new fish screen on Tin Cup Ditch  is now fully operational!  It blocks fish from travelling down the ditch and returns them to the creek.  Prior to installation many fish were trapped and perished in the ditch at the end of the irrigation season. Minimizing mortality is expected to improve fish populations, both in Tin Cup Creek and the Bitterroot River.

The screen was purchased by a grant awarded to the District by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. Installation of a fish screen was a requirement  for the authorization for rebuilding the dam at Tin Cup Lake. Because of the availability of grant funds, none of the costs for construction came from members annual assessments.

The  system consists of two parallel channels each with a paddle wheel at the end.  Stainless steel screens running diagonally across each channel allow water to pass through but block fish. Pipes at the end of the channel return the fish to the creek that is out of view in these photos. The screens also catch debris which is removed by brushes that move back and forth along it.  These brushes are driven by the paddle wheels and a chain drive system. The two parallel channels handle high water periods.  Later in the season when flows are low,  one channel can be blocked and all water diverted into the other.

• • •

© Copyright. All rights reserved.