2026 Webinar Series: Republic Dam Fish Passage Design and Construction
Date: June 3 | Time: 12–1 pm EST
Microsoft Teams Meeting
Meeting ID: 298 659 180 647 780
Passcode: See details below
Volitional fish passage for cold and warmwater species has been demonstrated on nature-like fishways throughout the Midwest using a series of boulder, gaps, and resting pools that emulate natural river processes. In 2024, GEI modified an existing dam using nature-like fishway design criteria to construct a fish-passable rock rapids. This constructed rapids is 650 feet in length and drops nearly 14 feet, allowing the owner to maintain a similar minimum water surface to the former dam and meet regulatory fish passage requirements.
This is the first design of its kind to be constructed in Michigan, with notable differences to other previously constructed rapids in Michigan with varied fish passage success. In this webinar the presenter will share the design approach used for this project, construction photos and videos showing the progression of work throughout the 2024 field season, and how the project team is working on a post-construction monitoring plan to evaluate fish passage success.
Presenter
Sam Prentice, PE — GEI Consultants, Marquette, Michigan
Sam is a licensed civil engineer who works for GEI Consultants out of their Marquette, Michigan office. Sam has worked for GEI for 11 years as part of a collaborative team specializing in dam removal, stream restoration, and fish passage projects. His responsibilities have included grant writing, data collection, hydraulic modeling, permitting, design, and construction oversight. He was the project manager for this project, beginning in 2018 with concept designs and remained engaged as the lead designer through construction completion in 2024. Sam is an active member of the Michigan Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) and currently serves as the rivers and streams coordinator for the chapter. Outside of the office, Sam enjoys recreating in the greater Marquette area and along the south shore of Lake Superior.
Join the Webinar
Date: June 3 | Time: 12–1 pm EST
Microsoft Teams Meeting
Meeting ID: 298 659 180 647 780
Passcode: wo2mN92w
Important Note: Registration is not required; however, participation is limited to 300. Please sign on early. Space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Direct questions to Andy Peters at andy@riverconnectivitysystems.com.
Past Webinars
For information on all past webinars, visit the Joint Committee’s Webinars page or the YouTube Channel, where recordings of past webinars are available.
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