Reclamation Information Sharing Environment (RISE)

Increasing debris loads at dam intake structures pose significant hydraulic, operational, and safety challenges for Reclamation facilities. The purpose of this project was to investigate existing, new, and emerging technologies that may be used to mitigate and/or remove debris at dam intake structures. A three-phase approach was used: 1) screening emerging technologies identified through Reclamation’s Science and Technology Prize Competition, 2) conducting physical hydraulic modeling of two selected concepts—the enhanced log boom and a self-cleaning trashrack—at the Black Canyon Dam, and 3) performing economic lifecycle cost analyses for both alternatives. Ultimately, optimal debris mitigation depends on debris type, hydraulic impacts, O&M requirements, and available funding, with all alternatives still requiring regular debris management.