Norfork Dam Siphon

Stabilizing the trout habitat

Garver helped improve the trout habitat in Baxter County, Arkansas by designing a siphon through the Norfork Dam that provides constant flow of cooler water downstream. The 42-inch-diameter pipe moves water from Norfork Lake through the dam before discharging it into the Norfork River. The cooler water provides a more stable condition for the cold-water fish habitat, which contributes to the area’s world-class fishery. The siphon system is electronically connected to the dam’s hydroelectric power system, which signals for the siphon to shut off when the dam is generating power, and turned back on when generation stops. The project was part of the White River Minimum Flow Project long pursued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.