Completion of Roaring River Hatchery renovation project
marked by ribbon-cutting ceremony
Missouri Senator Mike Moon (left) and Missouri State Parks, Missouri Department of Conservation, and Roaring River Hatchery and Roaring River Park officials were on hand Friday at Roaring River Hatchery for a formal dedication ceremony for the hatchery’s nearly $2 million renovation project.
March 31, 2021
Sheila Harris
An almost $2 million renovation project - over two years in the works, - was officially deemed complete at a special ribbon-cutting ceremony at Roaring River State Park Friday, March 26.
The event was attended by Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Missouri State Parks officials, Missouri State Senator Mike Moon and a few interested onlookers.
MDC’s Roaring River Hatchery director, Paul Spurgeon said one of his favorite parts of the project is the addition of a revolving, automated screen, housed in a shed-like structure, which filters the water before it goes into the hatchery.
“Before,” he said, “an employee would have to manually clean debris from the water before it entered the hatchery.”
Another new feature that Spurgeon appreciates is the addition of automated gates (or dams), which can be raised or lowered with the push of a button.
Before the automated gates, someone would have to lie on their belly and manually lift them,” Spurgeon said. “It was a potentially dangerous position, and, in fact, we did have an employee get hurt once.”
According to Spurgeon, the overall goal with the renovation project is to improve water flow to the hatchery and help with flood management.
Sheila Harris
An almost $2 million renovation project - over two years in the works, - was officially deemed complete at a special ribbon-cutting ceremony at Roaring River State Park Friday, March 26.
The event was attended by Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Missouri State Parks officials, Missouri State Senator Mike Moon and a few interested onlookers.
MDC’s Roaring River Hatchery director, Paul Spurgeon said one of his favorite parts of the project is the addition of a revolving, automated screen, housed in a shed-like structure, which filters the water before it goes into the hatchery.
“Before,” he said, “an employee would have to manually clean debris from the water before it entered the hatchery.”
Another new feature that Spurgeon appreciates is the addition of automated gates (or dams), which can be raised or lowered with the push of a button.
Before the automated gates, someone would have to lie on their belly and manually lift them,” Spurgeon said. “It was a potentially dangerous position, and, in fact, we did have an employee get hurt once.”
According to Spurgeon, the overall goal with the renovation project is to improve water flow to the hatchery and help with flood management.