Projects

St. Stephen Dam Fish Lift and Powerhouse

St. Stephen Dam Fish Lift and Powerhouse

ST. STEPHEN, South Carolina
United States
st stephen dam fishlift

TYLin provided design, project management, civil, environmental, mechanical, and electrical engineering services for the repair of the St. Stephen Dam Fish Lift and hydropower plant facilities.

The goal of the major renovation program for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, was to enhance fish passage and improve operations, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system performance. 

Unique to South Carolina and the southeast United States, the fish lift at St. Stephen Dam allows the annual passage of 750,000 anadromous fish as they swim upstream to spawn, helping to increase populations of migratory fish used for regional recreation and commercial purposes. 

TYLin provided the design for the replacement of the fish lift hydraulic system and the programmable logic control system used to control its sequencing and operation. Upgrades were also made to gates and stop logs within the fish lift facility. 

The St. Stephen Powerhouse supplies energy to close to 40,000 homes in the community. TYLin designed the replacement of cooling water piping for the three hydropower generating units. 

The design also included upgrades to the entire existing HVAC and associated electrical power distribution systems at the hydropower plant facility, as well as the repair and cathodic protection design of the headgates. 

Project Highlights: 

  • In addition to upgrading critical electrical and HVAC system components for the fish lift, TYLI also designed new safety features and developed the facility’s 25-year annual maintenance plan. 
  • TYLin developed a spill prevention and response plan and conducted a hazardous materials survey for both the fish lift and hydropower plant facilities. 
  • A biological efficacy and structural design study was provided for a sturgeon deflector that could be used to divert endangered Atlantic sturgeon safely around the fish lift. 

As a value-added service, TYLin produced animated educational videos of the fish lift and adjoining powerhouse dam to enhance visitors’ experience.  

Services