Reservoir Sediment Management

Siltation in reservoirs has become an important problem when dams are getting older and stop functioning when the sediment has accumulated to a certain extent. With proper sediment management techniques, negative effects of sediment can be avoided and reservoir life and performance can be improved. This volume deals with reservoir sedimentation, deposition and removal. It provides the principles of sediment transport and gives guidelines to predict reservoir life. It presents several removal techniques, accompanied with detailed operation descriptions. With the help of the RESCON open source software, cost analysis tools to determine the optimum method for maintenance and operation of a reservoir can be applied. To illustrate practice and to assist the reader in setting up a sediment management operation, a number of case studies of existing large dams are included. Written by two experts on reservoir operation, this volume is intended for professionals and advanced students working on dam and reservoir design, construction, operation, maintenance and rehabilitation.

Research on reservoir sedimentation in recent years has been aimed mainly at water resources projects in developing countries. These countries, especially in Africa, often have to cope with long droughts, flash floods and severe erosion problems. Large reservoir capacities are required to capture water provided by flash floods so as to ensure the supply of water in periods of drought. The problem arising however is that these floods, due to their tremendous stream power, carry enormous volumes of sediment which, due to the size of reservoirs, are virtually deposited in toto in the reservoir basin, leading to fast deterioration of a costly investment. Accurate forecasting of reservoir behaviour is therefore of the utmost importance. This book fills a gap in current literature by providing in one volume comprehensive coverage of techniques required to practically investigate the effects sediment deposition in reservoirs has on the viability of water resources projects. Current techniques for practically estimating sediment yield from catchments, estimating the volume of sediment expected to deposit in reservoirs, predicting sediment distribution and calculating scour downstream of reservoirs are evaluated and presented. The liberal use of diagrams and graphs to explain the various techniques enhances understanding and makes practical application simple. A major feature of the book is the application of stream power theory to explain the process of reservoir sedimentation and to develop four new methods for predicting sediment distribution in reservoirs. The book is primarily directed at practising engineers involved in the planning and design of water resources projects and at post-graduate students interested in this field of study.

Siltation in reservoirs has become an important problem when dams are getting older and stop functioning when the sediment has accumulated to a certain extent. With proper sediment management techniques, negative effects of sediment can be avoided and reservoir life and performance can be improved. This volume deals with reservoir sedimentation, deposition and removal. It provides the principles of sediment transport and gives guidelines to predict reservoir life. It presents several removal techniques, accompanied with detailed operation descriptions. With the help of the RESCON open source software, cost analysis tools to determine the optimum method for maintenance and operation of a reservoir can be applied. To illustrate practice and to assist the reader in setting up a sediment management operation, a number of case studies of existing large dams are included. Written by two experts on reservoir operation, this volume is intended for professionals and advanced students working on dam and reservoir design, construction, operation, maintenance and rehabilitation.

Focusing on reservoir sedimentation management and control, this work defines the nature and severity of sedimentation, reviews relevant physical processes, describes techniques used to combat sedimentation, and presents detailed case studies.

Written by two of the world’s leading experts on sediment management, 'Extending the Life of Reservoirs' provides guidance on adopting sediment management practices for hydropower and water supply dam projects. It explains how ensuring long-term resilience of critical infrastructure requires early and constant attention to reservoir sedimentation processes, which can reduce the storage capacity of reservoirs and damage hydro mechanical equipment. The report provides concrete guidance on safeguarding against these effects and preserving the many important services of hydropower and dam projects, including water supply, irrigation, and renewable electricity. In particular, it stresses the importance of integrating sediment management into the early planning phases of projects. 'Extending the Life of Reservoirs' is designed to assist those evaluating dam and hydropower proposals. While for the primary audience includes policy makers, lending agencies, and general practitioners, the level of detail provided in the report should appeal to a wide array of stakeholder groups. The content is neither overly technical nor overly simplistic, and aims to provide practical and useful information. Importantly, this report provides a new perspective on the importance of sediment management that is not found in prior work. It stresses the value of sediment management measures as a robust adaptation measure to support sustainable hydropower. The techniques described in the report make sense regardless of future climate changes, but in many cases have even more value when uncertainty over future hydrological patterns is taken into account.

This book is concerned with one of the methods of removing sediments from reservoirs, namely the flushing of sediments through purpose built outlet works within the dam. This technique can be applied to existing dams, with adaptation of the engineering works, and to new dams. The book gives practical guidance on the necessary hydrological, hydraulic, sedimentological and topographical features for successful flushing.In this book the author draws together his wealth of experience of working in this field.

Despite the mechanisms of reservoir sedimentation being well known for a long time, sustainable and preventive measures are rarely taken into consideration in the design of new reservoirs. To avoid operational problems of powerhouses, sedimentation is often treated for existing reservoirs with measures which are efficient only for a limited time.Th

Reservoir Sedimentation: Assessment and Environmental Controls appraises the issues of sedimentation in reservoirs and discusses measures that can be employed for the effective management of sediment to prolong the operational life of reservoirs. It provides information for professional consultants and policymakers to enable them to manage dams in the best possible way, in order to ensure their sustainability as well as the sustainability of water resources in general. It examines the effects of anthropogenic intervention and management of sediment in dams and reservoirs, as water resources become more sensitive and the demand for clean water continues to increase. Features: Examines the issue of sedimentation in dams and reservoirs and presents water management strategies to alleviate environmental issues Presents methods to help ensure the environmental sustainability of dams and reservoirs, as well as the sustainability of water resources- with consideration of climate change and increased demand Illustrates the spatial distribution of sedimentation characteristics for several dams using geographic information systems (GIS) Explains the relationships between loss in capacity and catchment characteristics Examines regional variation in sediment yield, defines geomorphic regions on the basis of similar hydrometeorology, physiography, geology, and vegetation affecting reservoirs