The rebound in the wild Bear Lake Cutthroat Trout (BLCT) population over the past two decades has been a true restoration success story. Once thought to be extirpated from Bear Lake, Utah these adfluvial swimmers have made a huge comeback, due in large part to the completion of numerous restoration projects to remove passage barriers, install fish screens at irrigation diversion structures, and improve habitat within the major Bear Lake Tributaries. While the BLCT population is no longer ESA listed, there is still work to be done throughout the Bear Lake Watershed.
In collaboration with Trout Unlimited, River Structures Consulting has been continuing the effort to improve access to quality rearing and spawning habitat and installing fish screening on irrigation diversion structures. River Structures is currently working on a fish screen retrofit design for an irrigation diversion structure on Cottonwood Creek. The existing in-channel horizontal wire-mesh screen intake presents a significant impingement hazard. River Structures is currently working with TU and the irrigators to identify a preferred screening approach for their diversion structure. The alternatives being considered include a new paddle-wheel driven drum screen or an inclined multiple bay wedge-wire screen intake. The project also includes installation of stoplogs to increase submergence of the screening system. When implemented, the modified diversion intake will significantly reduce the mortality rate in the local BLCT population due to impingement against the intake screen.
