North unit irrigation district (nuid) will replace the existing, rotary drum fish screens with upgraded, flat plate screens and a traveling screen cleaning system at the bend headworks, located at the…

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded North Unit Irrigation District (NUID) a $9.18 million Cooperative Agreement under the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program (CFDA 15.580) on June 2, 2025, with an anticipated completion date of March 31, 2027. The primary deliverable is the replacement of aging rotary drum fish screens with upgraded flat plate screens and a traveling screen cleaning system at the Bend Headworks facility on the Deschutes River mainstem in Bend, Oregon. The new screens will reduce fish approach velocity, decrease mesh size, and establish a safe passage route to the fish ladder, thereby reducing entrainment of native brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, and transient fingerling coho and kokanee from Wickiup Reservoir.

This project represents a critical component of a broader regional infrastructure modernization initiative by Central Oregon irrigation districts to enhance water conservation while improving aquatic ecosystem conditions. The existing fish screens, installed in the 1940s, have resulted in regular fish entrainment due to their design and age. The upgraded screening system will directly address fish passage challenges and contribute to the restoration and improved health of fisheries and aquatic habitat, aligning with the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program's objective of collaboratively developed projects that yield widespread regional benefits.

North unit irrigation district (nuid) will replace the existing, rotary drum fish screens with upgraded, flat plate screens and a traveling screen cleaning system at the bend headworks, located at the nuid main canal intake on the mainstem of the deschutes river, in bend, oregon. The deschutes river is home to brown and rainbow trout, the rare brook trout, whitefish, and transient fingerling coho and kokanee from wickiup reservoir, a bureau of reclamation project. The existing fish screens were installed in the 1940S and fish are regularly entrained in the existing screens due to their design and age. The design of the new screens will slow the approach velocity, shrink the mesh size of the screen, and provide a safe path for fish to the fish ladder. This project is one element of a larger regional effort by irrigation districts in central oregon to modernize and improve aging infrastructure to conserve water and improve conditions for aquatic species.