Can self-cleaning strainers and filters be used to effectively manage mussel impacts with reduced maintenance at Reclamation facilities? With the infestation in the Lower Colorado Region, operations and maintenance have been impacted by a significant increase in mussel shell debris. Mussel shell debris is entrained in various piped systems (predominantly cooling water) within the facility either during normal operations or following dewatering for maintenance. To date, most facilities manage this increased debris load using conventional strainers and manual cleanout. However, strainer capacity can be easily exceeded by heavy shell debris loads. Reclamation would benefit greatly from having a self-cleaning method to remove large and small shell debris more effectively thereby reducing maintenance costs.
