Habitat Connectivity by Design: How Engineering Shapes Idaho’s Streams

Engineers working for the Department of Fish and Game juggle many projects like designing buildings, hatcheries, and fishing access areas. But a few engineers get to design in-stream structures and habitat restoration projects to help fish move through the Idaho landscape. 

One of these engineers is Jared Bragg, the engineer from the Anadromous Fish Screen Program in Salmon, Idaho. Jared gets the opportunity to come up with new and exciting solutions to provide better fish passage through the river while also helping restore habitat connectivity.

Sometimes fish encounter obstacles like old culverts or rock dams that prevent them from swimming up or down stream. That’s where Jared steps in. Along with a team of biologists, land managers, and construction contractors, he designs and installs new bridges, fish screens (to prevent fish from ending up in an irrigation ditch), and passage projects throughout Idaho. 

Designing one of these fish passage structures involves multiple phases, starting with a site visit. Jared, along with his biologist and construction colleagues, visits the project site to determine the best location for the structure. During this visit, the design team look for potential challenges, such as tricky terrain and construction access.  Jared and the team also talk with landowners and land managers to understand how the project will impact the surrounding area. Replacing this diversion structure will help fish passage, but it will also improve the transport of water to the landowner’s hydro-electric facility. 

Using advanced surveying GPS units, Jared conducts detailed surveys, creating a complete digital model of the landscape. Here, he notes the location of the hydroelectric facility, the storage pond, and the diversion. Back at the office, Jared imports the digital landscape into the design software and starts the detailed design process. Working with the digital model, he carefully constructs the fish passage structure.

As the fish passage structure design nears completion, Jared works closely with contractors and land managers to incorporate changes that optimize its operations. They integrate these modifications into the final design, ensuring that the structure aligns seamlessly with its surroundings.

When the designs are ready, it's time to bring them to life! Jared teams up with construction crews to ensure everything is executed flawlessly and that the structure operates effectively. This hands-on approach ensures that every aspect of the project is considered as the crew builds the structure.

But his work doesn’t end there. The final phase involves follow-up and adaptive management. For the next few months Jared and the team monitor the structure, making sure it functions as intended. If any tweaks or adjustments are necessary at this stage, Jared rolls up his sleeves and makes it happen.