From pristine mountain streams to carefully calibrated concrete raceways, the success of a fish hatchery depends on engineering that understands both the biology of aquatic life and the complexity of water systems. At Sunrise Engineering, our team has spent years developing the expertise needed to support fish hatchery design throughout the Intermountain West, helping our clients, especially the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), ensure that hatcheries remain efficient, sustainable, and safe for the species they raise.
A Niche Built on Trust and Technical Excellence
Sunrise’s journey into fish hatchery engineering began more than two decades ago with small-scale projects like waste separation systems at the original Loa Hatchery. Over time, as trust and collaboration with the DWR grew, Sunrise became a go-to partner for more complex systems, including source treatment projects designed to eliminate threats like whirling disease. Today, Sunrise is working on what will be the largest hatchery project ever undertaken by the State of Utah.
“Fish health is the most important aspect of a hatchery,” said Robert Worley, PE. “We’ve designed these systems to prioritize water quality and biological security above all else, while still meeting structural and regulatory demands.”
What Makes Hatchery Design Unique?
Unlike typical civil infrastructure projects, hatcheries must operate with extremely high reliability. A brief water outage in a culinary system may be inconvenient, but for a hatchery, it can mean loss of fish life.
“There’s no room for failure,” said Wyoming project manager, Dave Kennington, PE. “Hydraulic and water quality conditions drive the entire design, and the team must coordinate across disciplines—civil, structural, environmental, and biological—to get it right.”
Designing for fish also requires rigorous biosecurity. Hatchery water systems must be completely separated from adjacent natural waters to prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). Discharges must be carefully managed to control nutrients and solids entering the environment.
A Collaborative and Client-Focused Approach
Every hatchery project is different, and success relies on close collaboration with both technical experts and hatchery managers. At Sunrise, teams meet regularly throughout the design process to ensure every voice is heard, including those of the hatchery operators who know firsthand what’s needed to raise healthy fish.
“Listening to the client is critical,” Kennington said. “They know how to operate these facilities better than anyone. When we take their feedback seriously, we end up with a better design and fewer changes during construction.”
The typical Sunrise hatchery team is multi-disciplinary and may even include external specialists like fish culturists and aquatic biologists to ensure that biological, structural, and environmental goals are all met.
Looking Ahead: Trends and Opportunities
The world of hatchery engineering is evolving alongside shifts in environmental policy, angler demand, and aquaculture innovation. Sunrise has recently helped design warm water hatcheries to support community fishing ponds and introduce new species into local ecosystems.
As Worley put it, “We’re seeing more emphasis on sustainability and adaptability in hatchery systems. Our work is always evolving to meet these new challenges.”
With a growing portfolio of successful hatchery projects in Utah and Wyoming, Sunrise Engineering has positioned itself as a regional leader in this specialized space, where engineering meets ecology, and water systems support wildlife.