River Design Group (RDG) provided planning, design, survey and construction administration services to The Freshwater Trust (TFT) and Idaho Power Company (IPC) during the recent completion of an island enhancement project on the mainstem Snake River near Walters Ferry, Idaho. The intent of the project is to increase water velocity, scour, and depth in the Snake River by expanding the existing footprint of Bayha Island. The project is expected to benefit native species including the endangered Snake River physa snail.

In addition to providing survey and design services for the project elements, RDG used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) to provide construction support surveys by capturing georeferenced aerial imagery during project implementation and by using Structure from Motion (SfM) to create high resolution digital surface models of nearby resource areas. RDG and IPC then used the resulting surface models to estimate the available fill quantities located on site to be placed for the expansion of the island footprint.

RDG PROJECT MANAGER
Scott Wright, PE, PMP

CLIENT
The Freshwater Trust (TFT)
Idaho Power Company (IPC)

PROJECT LOCATION
Snake River at Walters Ferry, Idaho

PROJECT ELEMENTS
Planning
Design
Construction administration
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle flights
Remote Sensing