Intake Screens Inc.'s Hydro Products
ISI’s largest hydro facility screen install, a 550 cfs Pacific Gas & Electric structure on the Stanislaus River in California.
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ntake Screens Inc. (ISI) was founded in 1996 to manufacture industrial-grade fish protection and debris management screen systems. Today, it designs custom screens for hydro, irrigation, municipal, and industrial facilities around the world. In this interview, ISI President Russell Berry IV and Director of Technical Services John Burnett tell us about the company’s history and its services for hydro facilities. Hydro Leader: Please tell us about your backgrounds and how you came to be in your current positions.
A diagram of the Stanislaus River screen.
26 | HYDRO LEADER | October 2021
John Burnett: I’m a fishery biologist by training and hold a master’s degree in the subject. I spent 20 years consulting on various fish protection projects and leading small and large teams on biological sampling programs, intake technology feasibility and alternatives analyses, and economic evaluations. I helped clients make informed decisions about how to optimize fish protection and debris management at their water intakes. I came to know all available fish protection and debris management methods and screening options and came to value ISI’s technologies over all others in the marketplace. In fact, Russell and I developed some hydroleadermagazine.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ISI.
Another view of the 550 cfs screen ISI manufactured for Pacific Gas & Electric.
Russell Berry: I grew up working with my dad, who pioneered and patented new screen designs over a decadeslong professional career. Starting when I was very young, I went out with my dad and installed screen projects on the weekends. When I was about 18 or 19, I actually started getting paid to work. In those early years, I did the welding, fabrication, and installation work; after gaining some years of experience, I started doing some of the design work as well. Soon after that, I got involved in hiring employees; keeping them lined out every day; and doing all the design, manufacturing, and installation of our screen systems. In 2008, my dad stepped back, and I was named president of the corporation. For the last 5 years, I’ve been responsible for all aspects of the business, from running meetings to signing contracts and sweeping the floor. In all seriousness, I do make sure that I still put on a wetsuit, run an excavator, and provide thoughtful input on designs, as it is the creation of quality industrial products that fulfills me most.
