Lake Wohlford

Project description

Lake Wohlford dam was completed in 1895 in Escondido, California on the San Luis Rey River. The original primary uses of the reservoir were to provide irrigation and drinking water to a growing town faced with intermittent water supplies. Over time, the reservoir provided additional benefits, including boating and fishing.

Concerns were raised over fish being drawn into the penstock and options were explored to deter fish from the penstock intake. Smith-Root designed and installed electrode arrays and a pulsator system in 2002, aiding the city of Escondido in their efforts to deter fish from the penstock and maintain the lake for a multitude of user groups.

Deterrence system is currently offline as the dam is undergoing seismic retrofit.