MSc.
Water Engineering and Sciences
Specialization: Hydraulic Engineering
and River Basin Development (HERBD)
Module 7 – Hydraulic Structures
INTRODUCTION TO IMPOUNDING
STRUCTURES
Mário J. Franca
12,830 km
All Water on Earth
1,390 km
Accessible Fresh Groundwater
68 km
All Rivers
16 km
RT >>>> Usage RT ~ Usage
Residence Time = 1,400 years Residence Time = 16 to 18 days
Groundwater River Water
Globally 3.5 times overexploited Flow variability requires storage to ensure reliability
Rivers has the greatest potential for sustainable water abstraction!
WHY DO WE NEED RESERVOIRS?
WHY DO WE NEED RESERVOIRS?
WHY DO WE NEED RESERVOIRS?
WHY DO WE NEED RESERVOIRS?
Storage is needed to supply
water during low flow periods
If the flow regulation is for a period of less than
one year we call it a run-of-river storage
WHY DO WE NEED RESERVOIRS?
WHY DO WE NEED RESERVOIRS?
WHY DO WE NEED RESERVOIRS?
WHY DO WE NEED RESERVOIRS?
Storage is needed to supply
water during multiple years
periods of low flow
If the flow regulation is for a
multi-year period we call it a
carryover storage
RUN OF RIVER VS. CARRYOVER STORAGE
Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage
forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
a) Dimension
b) Purpose
CLASSIFICATION OF DAMS
c) Type (material and structure)
a) Dimension: large and small dams
Definition of a “Large Dam” :: ICOLD constitution
A dam with a height of 15 metres or greater from lowest foundation to crest or a dam
between 5 metres and 15 metres impounding more than 3 million cubic metres
b) Purpose
[Link]
[Link]
c) Type
[Link]
EMBANKMENT DAMS
Earthfill dam
Compacted soils account for over 50% of the placed volume of material.
An earthfill dam is constructed primarily of selected engineering soils compacted uniformly and
intensively in relatively thin layers and at a controlled moisture content.
Rockfill dam
Over 50% of the fill material may be classified as rockfill, i.e. coarse-grained frictional material.
The section includes a discrete impervious element of compacted earthfill or a slim concrete or
bituminous membrane.
Novák, Pavel, A. I. B. Moffat, Chandra Nalluri, and R. Narayanan. Hydraulic structures. CRC Press, 2017.
EMBANKMENT DAMS
EMBANKMENT DAMS
EMBANKMENT DAMS
EMBANKMENT DAMS
EMBANKMENT DAMS
Negative side
Susceptibility to damage or destruction by overtopping, hence more demanding
in terms of design of flood relief
Vulnerability to leakage and internal erosion of dam and foundation
EMBANKMENT DAMS
EMBANKMENT DAMS
EMBANKMENT DAMS
EMBANKMENT DAMS
EMBANKMENT DAMS
CONCRETE DAMS
CONCRETE DAMS
CONCRETE DAMS
CONCRETE DAMS
MIXED SOLUTIONS
MIXED SOLUTIONS
ANCILLARY WORKS
Slipways
Outlet works
River Diversion
Cut-offs
Internal drainage
Internal galleries and shafts
[Link]
- Changes in the
hydrological regime
downstream (river
basin scale)
- Water footprint, loss
of water (river basin
impact)
- Hydropeaking/
residual flow (river
basin impact)
- Interruption of longitudinal and
transversal habitat continuity –
fisheries, seeds, vegetation, etc.
(river basin scale)
- Inundation of terrestrial habitats
(local scale, may have regional
implications)
- Resettlement and changes in
land use (river basin/regional
scales)
- Restrictions to navigation (river
basin scale)
- Competing water uses (regional
scale)
- Effects on cultural heritage
(regional/global scale)
- Interruption of the sediment cycle
(river basin impact, extended to
seas and oceans)
- Sediment accumulation upstream
(jeopardizing the sustainability of the
reservoir, local scale)
- Lack downstream causing
impoverishment of river morphology,
inducing erosion, lack of nutrients,
and damaging riverine habitats (river
basin scale including downstream
coastal areas)
- May be source of GHG (global impact)
Mitigation/adaptation measures:
. Include ecology, socio-economy and global
impact considerations in all planning phases
(in dreams begin responsibility…)
. Life-cycle management rules towards
mitigation and sustainability
. Implementation of operational solutions
THE PROBLEM OF LOSS OF STORAGE TO SEDIMENTATION
WORLD STORAGE EVOLUTION AND LOSS TO SEDIMENTATION
The sediments
source of minerals
transport of nutrients, oxygen,
microorganisms and carbon
transport of contaminants
build the landscape morphology
(river and coastal stability)
fluvial connectivity (from the
mountains to seas, lakes and oceans)
A dam is an obstacle to DOWNSTREAM
the natural sediment cycle
Loss of morphological diversity (fluvial and
coast spaces)
Loss of habitat suitability
Destabilization of channel network
Increase of risk of erosion and inundation
Lack of nutrients (may affect ecology and food
production)
Loss of fluvial connectivity
UPSTREAM
The accumulation of sediments causes
the reduction of storage capacity
It may affect the working of water
intakes and equipment
Reservoir of Cachí, Costa Rica
Reservoir of Turtmann, Switzerland
Wushe reservoir, Taiwan
Wushe reservoir, Taiwan
Angostura Reservoir, Costa Rica
Angostura Reservoir, Costa Rica
Punt da Gall dam, Switzerland
SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT APPROACHES
Valley
Regional
River width
River basin
Water depth
technical solutions
environmental/ecology
water resources management
social aspects
international law
water diplomacy