Alden performed design studies and field startup testingof PSE’s Upper and Lower Baker Dams Floating Surface Collector (FSC) systems. The FSC concept is well-suited for downstream fish passage in deep reservoirs with large variations in water level. Guide nets stretching from the water surface to reservoir bottom funnel migrant fish to the FSC, which provides attraction flow through high-flow submersible pumps. As flow is drawn into the FSC, dewatering screens funnel the fish to holding pens for transportation around the dam.

ALDEN conducted a 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model study of the reservoir hydraulics, guide nets, and FSC to optimize the location, orientation, and discharge of the Upper Baker FSC. Alden then developed a physical model of a preliminary version of the FSC dewatering screens and pumps to improve pump performance and screen channel hydraulics. After construction, ALDEN provided comprehensive field startup testing of the hydraulic performance of the FSC, balanced the dewatering screens, and provided critical operations information to PSE.

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