Engineering Safe Passage for Fish at Hydroelectric Dams
At Vessco Water, sustainability extends beyond infrastructure, it includes protecting the ecosystems and communities that depend on healthy waterways. Through our Platform Partner Whitney Equipment Co, LLC, we support innovative solutions that safeguard wildlife, strengthen renewable energy systems, and preserve vital natural resources.
In collaboration with Flygt, a Xylem brand, Whitney Equipment helped engineer advanced juvenile fish bypass systems for hydroelectric dams in the Pacific Northwest, protecting migrating salmon and trout while keeping clean energy facilities reliably online.
Balancing Clean Energy & River Ecosystems
Hydroelectric dams provide renewable electricity but intersect with natural fish migration routes. Juvenile salmon and trout traveling downstream risk injury if drawn into turbine systems.
Historically, operators reduced generation or shut down facilities during peak fish runs — creating operational disruption and economic cost.
Whitney Equipment Co, LLC and Flygt partnered to deliver a solution that protects fish without compromising power generation.
A River Within a River
Juvenile fish bypass systems provide a safe migration route around turbines through:
- Surface collectors guide fish safely downstream
- Custom pumps create fish attraction flows
- Collaborative ecological design ensures reliability
These systems create what many describe as a “river within a river,” enabling young fish to migrate safely downstream and continue their life cycle.
Environmental & Operational Value
This project delivers measurable ESG impact by:
- Protecting salmon & trout
- Supporting watershed health
- Reducing hydro downtime
- Maintaining compliant clean energy
Supporting Tribal Communities
Healthy salmon populations are central to the cultural identity, nutrition, and economic wellbeing of many Native American and Tribal communities in the Pacific Northwest. By strengthening fish migration pathways, these systems help sustain:
- Traditional food sources
- Protecting treaty fishing rights
- Strengthening river-based resilience
- Reestablishing historic spawning grounds by supporting upstream fish return to Columbia River tributary dams
Learn more about fish bypass systems for hydroelectric dams at https://www.weci.com/.
