Remedies for sediment buildup

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Hydro Review; (United States)

OSTI ID:5498821

Singh, K P; Durgunoglu, A ^[1]

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1. Illinois State Water Survey, Champaign, IL (United States)

An important issue in the design, construction, and operation of dams is reducing sedimentation in the reservoir to maintain maximum available water storage. Mitigative measures can be incorporated in dam design and reservoir operation to substantially reduce sediment entrapment, and to improve dissolved oxygen levels by releasing hypolimnetic waters (cold bottom waters) from the reservoir. These measures may also greatly reduce stream bed degradation downstream of the dam and consequent initiation of a new erosion cycle in the tributaries. The Illinois State Water Survey (a division of the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources) investigated the advantages and disadvantages of various storage maintenance measures. In an economic analyses of the methods, the State Water Survey considered and compared the reduction in initial reservoir design storage capacity, cost of installation of sediment entrapment reduction measures, and cost of any dredging operations. The analysis indicates that the cost of incorporating sediment entrapment reduction measures in the design of a dam and reservoir can be justified by a decrease in capital and present worth costs due to the need for smaller initial storage capacity and an absence of dredging costs.

• OSTI ID: 5498821
• Journal Information: Hydro Review; (United States), Journal Name: Hydro Review; (United States) Vol. 10:7; ISSN HYREE8; ISSN 0884-0385
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

13 HYDRO ENERGY
130300* -- Hydro Energy-- Plant Design & Operation
DAMS
DESIGN
DRAWDOWN
ENGINEERING
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
MITIGATION
POWER PLANTS
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
SEDIMENTATION