Bennett Spring Fish Hatchery

The Missouri State Park system purchased 573 acres of land, including the Bennett Spring Fish Hatchery, in the 1920s. Since then, families from across the state have enjoyed recreational fishing in the cold, clear stream. Operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation, the hatchery supplies approximately 400,000 rainbow and brown trout to recreational anglers annually, generating over $187 million in economic impact each year according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

To maintain the hatchery’s appeal and functionality for future generations, the Missouri Department of Conservation initiated a significant renovation project in 2023.

Challenges

Several areas of the concrete infrastructure at the Bennett Spring Fish Hatchery were deteriorating, leading to concerns about leakage and further degradation. Additionally, the Department of Conservation aimed to implement more fish-friendly methods and expand the facility to accommodate more fish, necessitating robust and waterproof concrete solutions.

Solution

The engineers at the Department of Conservation initially specified a different crystalline admixture for waterproofing. However, Ozark Ready Mix recommended Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) due to its superior performance.