The Impact of VHS and Enhanced Biosecurity on the Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery Renovation Project

Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery is the largest of 18 fish propagation facilities operated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and was renovated in two construction phases.  Fish health and biosecurity are important design considerations in all aquaculture facilities but the diagnosis of VHS in the Great Lakes as the cause of large fish kills in lakes Huron, St. Clair, Erie, Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River in 2005 and 2006 created the need for increased biosecurity measures at all Wisconsin DNR propagation facilities including the Wild Rose State fish Hatchery which was in a major renovation project during the outbreak.  This presentation will provide an overview of the enhanced biosecurity features implemented at this facility and the cost of the infrastructure improvements that were constructed to deal with this disease.    VHS has had a significant impact upon WDNR Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery fish production program, facility operation and stocking programs.   

Phase I, an $11.6 million project, involved the construction of a new 57,000 kg/year coldwater fish hatchery that provides egg incubation, early rearing, and final grow-out of Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, rainbow and brown trout for Lake Michigan management.  Phase I includes a 1,300 M² (14,000 ft²) hatchery building, 740M² (5000 ft²) trout broodstock building and four biosecure, covered raceway buildings that provide a rearing volume of 1,022M³.  The facility operations with a peak flow of 12,000 lpm obtained from four automated production wells.  An overview of the gravity flow, serial reuse water supply system that uses LHO dissolved oxygen management, microscreening, and UV treatment is presented.  Effluent treatment is provided by total flow microscreening, circular clarifier and sludge management systems.   Fish health and biosecurity features of the Phase 1 coldwater project are presented including costs, design and operational impacts. 

Phase II, a $15.6 million project, involved the construction of 14 ponds and 2,788m² (30,000 ft²) coolwater fish production building that operates using recirculation technology.  The coolwater production system produces spotted muskellunge, northern pike, walleye and lake sturgeon using a combination of extensive pond and intensive RAS-based rearing.  The indoor system provides 320M³ of rearing volume in 8 raceways, 40 rearing tanks and 400 hatching jars.  The heated RAS systems operate with 10% make-up by flow rate using 2-stage heat recovery/heat exchange and high efficiency natural gas fired boilers.  Fish health and biosecurity features of the Phase II coolwater project are presented including costs, design and operational impacts.