Howland Dam Fish Bypass Channel
Decommissioning of the Howland Dam and construction of the fish bypass channel implemented a portion of a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) order approving the Penobscot River Restoration Trust (PRRT)’s applications to surrender the licenses for the Howland Project and two other projects on the Penobscot River in Maine. These actions were all integral components of one of the largest river restoration projects in the United States. A preliminary design for the fish bypass was completed by another consultant and was used by PRRT to obtain regulatory permissions for the project. PRRT needed a consultant to complete final design of the bypass and additional decommissioning actions.
PRRT retained Kleinschmidt and its team of technical experts to prepare final design plans for the proposed bypass channel and decommissioning of the powerhouse, complete the geotechnical exploration and design, and conduct an environmental investigation relative to soils management. The nature-like fish bypass channel extends approximately 1,000 feet and consists of a broadly sweeping meander bend, with radius of approximately 400 feet and includes a multi-stage cross section, with a 26 foot wide (top width) low flow channel that sweeps to the outside of the bend, and a mildly sloping high flow overbank area that extends to the inside of the bend. As part of this process, the Kleinschmidt team and PRRT coordinated with project partners and federal and state regulatory agencies via regular meetings and correspondence to develop the design. Kleinschmidt also developed native planting plan for the riparian zone, design of shoreline biostabilization (e.g., coir logs), invasive species control, environmental permitting, and erosion and sediment control plan. Commissioning of the channel was completed in the fall of 2015 with full site restoration completion in the spring of 2016.
Kleinschmidt’s leadership in all aspects of this multi-dimensional effort kept the project progressing through many engineering, permitting, and public relations issues. Our strong project management and communication skills addressed the varied interests of project stakeholders and helped PRRT through this complex and innovative project.