Smith-Root will be closed November 27th and 28th. Have a happy Thanksgiving holiday!
Lake Wohlford
An electric barrier was successfully designed and installed by Smith-Root to prevent fish from entering the Lake Wohlford penstock.- Location: Escondido, California
- Commissioned: 2002
- Type: Industrial Scale Intake or Tailrace
Project description
Lake Wohlford dam was completed in 1895 in Escondido, California on the San Luis Rey River. The original primary uses of the reservoir were to provide irrigation and drinking water to a growing town faced with intermittent water supplies. Over time, the reservoir provided additional benefits, including boating and fishing.
Concerns were raised over fish being drawn into the penstock and options were explored to deter fish from the penstock intake. Smith-Root designed and installed electrode arrays and a pulsator system in 2002, aiding the city of Escondido in their efforts to deter fish from the penstock and maintain the lake for a multitude of user groups.
Deterrence system is currently offline as the dam is undergoing seismic retrofit.
Services provided
- Design and fabrication of the electrodes
- Design of the pulsator and power supply system
- Supply and installation of electronics
Site characteristics
- Pulsators: 1.5kVA POW
- Pulsator Qty: 1
- Power Output: 1.5 kW max.
- Water Depth: 3.3 feet
- Waterway Width: 3.3 feet
- Water Velocity: Variable
- Conductivity: NA