Grand Valley Irrigation Company

Customer Objective

Grand Valley Irrigation Company (GVIC) needed to retrofit static screens at their water intakes. Frequent problems with debris buildup caused significant downtime and manual cleaning, even after hours. During low water conditions on the canal, debris blocked the flow completely, meaning screens had to be removed. This allowed debris and fish to bypass the system, creating maintenance issues for downstream users. It also meant noncompliance with the region’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Directive 01 123 for fish protection.

Hydrolox Execution

GVIC chose Hydrolox screens as the best available technology for the retrofit. The design included sixteen Series 1800 Mesh Top screens with bypass gates and a debris conveyor. Bypass gates help maintain canal flow if debris overwhelms the screens. The conveyor system fully automates debris removal from the intakes, stacking it outside the facility. The system is designed to eliminate manual maintenance and help the facility maintain continuous delivery during challenging conditions like high or low water levels. GVIC and the Hydrolox team collaborated on the design, and because our screens ship ready to install, a third-party integrator performed the installation.

Results

The Hydrolox team has been in close contact with GVIC’s assistant superintendent post-install, troubleshooting and monitoring the results. Early indications show improved self-cleaning at the intakes, plus the elimination of manual debris removal and after-hours maintenance. Because the site has had unusually low river flow and light debris loads, fully representative performance metrics aren’t yet available. Check back for updates on the results of this installation.