Abstract: A traveling water and fish screen device is provided for separating debris from channels of flowing of water. The device includes a carriage that is placed in the water flow and a screen mounted in the carriage which utilizes a continuous band of specially constructed rigid grate panels pivotally attached to and separated by support members in the form of cross bars between each panel. Special hinges are used which provide an extremely small gap between each panel and the adjacent cross bars, which gap is maintained as the as the band rotates around upper and lower cylinders in the carriage. Flaps are provided on the outward, upstream edges of the carriage to prevent debris from coming into contact with the cylinders, support chains or sprockets of the device. The rigid grate panels each have a first set of parallel cross members, and a second set of parallel cross members that are perpendicular to the first set.