Utilizing Emerging Survey Technologies at Bennett Springs Fish Hatchery
By Michael Klasing, PLS | Survey Service Lead
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) used emerging as-built technologies during initial field investigations of the Bennett Springs Fish Hatchery facility to install new fish hatchery production technologies, slated to be complete in late 2024/early 2025. Bennett Springs is one of Missouri’s most popular trout parks, home to more than 400,000 rainbow trout.
When a project involves a public area within a state park, minimal disruption during field acquisition guides the workflow. As a sub-consultant to HDR Engineering Inc. (HDR), TREKK used multiple technologies to minimize disruption to the facility and provide accurate information to support various future construction and development projects at the site.
MDC worked with HDR on a multi-year, three phase, renovation to repair and replace portions of the hatchery’s aging infrastructure, which dates back to the early 1900s. This renovation incorporates new technologies that will repair or replace parts of the hatchery that either are no longer functioning or functioning poorly due to age.
“These renovations will breathe new life into our aging hatchery, improving safety for hatchery staff along with providing enhanced security for our trout,” said MDC Bennett Spring Hatchery Manager, Ben Havens. “Utilizing new technologies will enable us to raise quality fish for the public to enjoy for many years to come.”
Phase 1 of the project focused on the new hatchery water intake, a major component of the renovation. The facility had been operating without any screen or type of debris filtration since January 2020, when the hatchery intake screen was deemed unsafe and removed from operation. TREKK’s field investigations addressed water supply/flow, water treatment, raceway design, water recirculation and hatchery flood protection. We used a combination of conventional, hydrographic and LiDAR survey technologies, as well as provided utility locating, CCTV and cleaning, to address the new hatchery water intake.
TREKK’s approach provided for the modification and installation of open channel flow monitoring using level sensors and area velocity sensors, oversight, and coordination for 20 days at 11 sites within the hatchery raceway system. Flow data was delivered through TREKK’s Waterspout online dashboard. This data will design a system to eliminate the need for staff to stand waist deep in water, raking clean the screens during floods. The self-cleaning system will maintain a debris-free flow of water for the fish not only during floods, but year-round.