Flow and Velocity Measurements Using Vortex Shedding and Magnetic Flow Meters, Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery

The water supply for the Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery near Vernal, Utah is collected from shallow groundwater in perforated pipes. This flow is then directed to the hatchery through supply pipes by gravity. The hatchery is being evaluated for expansion, since the water is free from "whirling disease", a parasitic malady that is devastating native trout populations throughout the West. The problem can be spread by stocking trout that have been infected in the hatchery. In order to determine if the available flow from the groundwater source is adequate for the planned expansion at Jones Hole, the flow needed to be measured at various points throughout the underground pipe network. The paper will discuss the measurement methods considered, describe the installations, and the measurements made with the chosen method of vortex shedding meters. Additional calibration data were collected at selected sites in the hatchery with an insertion magnetic flow probe. These measurements are also described.