Photo By Joshua Glenn | Ryan Laughery examines blueprints on Oct. 22, 2024. Laughery has contributed to the...... read more read more
Born and raised only 30 miles away from the Walla Walla District headquarters, a young Dayton native never knew much about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It wasn’t until after college that Ryan Laughery, hydraulics engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, would come to realize the world of opportunities awaiting him one town over.
Laughery earned his bachelor’s in civil engineering from Washington State University in December 2002. He began his career with the Walla Walla District in April 2003 doing hydrology, the science focused on the timing and quantity of water distribution and movement.
“I was given the opportunity to fly,” said Laughery. Six weeks into his new role, a trip to the Engineer Research Development Center in Mississippi introduced him to hydraulics, the branch of civil engineering focused on the design of structures to manage water. “At that point I knew, ‘this is cool,’” Laughery said. “I could definitely do this.”
Proper upkeep of river ecosystems is a priority for USACE. The safe passage of fish is an essential mission unique to each dam on the river. Since the ERDC trip, Laughery has been committed to researching ways to improve fish passage. With experience in hydraulic engineering, as well as an in-depth understanding of bypass operations and environmental science, he has become a highly-desired subject matter expert for fish passage within the USACE Northwestern Division. Currently, he’s assisting the USACE Seattle District at Albeni Falls Dam.
Laughery was assigned to the Albeni Falls project to evaluate the configuration of a new fish facility with a fish ladder designed for bull trout. Realizing the initial plans for construction would likely not be successful for the younger and smaller bull trout, he recommended they change the design to a fish lock, the first of its kind for the species.
Migrating fish will follow attraction flow into a pool-like area. Once inside, a mechanism safely seals in the fish and a false floor raises the pool into the next area of the lock, “and you’re artificially raising the fish instead of requiring them to jump one pool at a time,” said Laughery.
This system is helpful for fish that may struggle passing traditional fishways.
“He’s integral for most of the fish passage operations we have at the dams,” said Dr. Chris Peery, senior fish biologist for the USACE Walla Walla District. “It’s pretty telling how high in demand he is.”
Dr. Peery and Laughery have worked together on several projects. One of the most recent involved the relocation of the juvenile outfall pipe at Lower Granite Lock and Dam to distance the fish from slow moving water, which increases the chances of being eaten by predators.
Laughery helped design a temperature regulation structure at Lower Granite as well. Since fish are more likely to reject the fish ladder if temperatures exceed 68 F, Laughery and his team created a pump that pulls colder water from the bottom of the river and sprays it upstream of the ladder exit, “affectionately named ‘Laughery’s shower,’” said Elizabeth Holdren, senior natural resources manager at Lower Granite Lock and Dam.
Holdren and Laughery collaborated with Jay Hesse, director of biological services for the Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries and Resource Management, at Dworshak Natural Fish Hatchery to help determine factors that attract fish and the safest methods of releasing them back to the river.
“He’s essential in those coordination meetings because of his expertise in hydraulic engineering flows. How that impacts the fish is huge,” said Holdren. Hesse continues, “He’s very thoughtful … really goes the extra mile trying to be responsive to those perspectives and requests.”
“The little fish ladder at Mill Creek is my baby,” said Laughery. The original blueprints for the ladder increased chances of harming fish and Laughery advocated for a new design that was unique from any other fish ladder he’d worked on before.
Laughery used computational fluid dynamics, a program that illustrates how water interacts with structures, to show the flaws in the initial design. “Sometimes the best solution is the simplest solution,” said Laughery. The new design, which is currently being installed in Rooks Park, is smaller, more affordable and will provide simplified passage for fish through the Mill Creek channel.
To keep inspiring innovation within the district, Laughery is actively involved in the Army Fellows Program, sharing his knowledge with incoming engineers. Brock Winegar, a hydraulic engineer in the program, is working with Laughery on an upcoming rotation to ERDC.
“He’s very real and straight to the point,” said Winegar. “I appreciate that about him quite a bit.”
Laughery has proudly served the USACE Walla Walla District for over 21 years.
“The variety and scale of the work we do was beyond my expectation when I came out of school, and I still have that feeling today,” said Laughery. The Dayton native continues to influence projects throughout the Pacific Northwest, upholding his commitment to the USACE mission to keep the fish swimming.
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2024 19:21 |
| Story ID: | 485615 |
| Location: | WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 65 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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