Sediment management of run-of-river hydroelectric power project in the Himalayan region using hydraulic model studies

Abstract

Storage capacity of hydropower reservoirs is lost due to sediment deposition. The problem is severe in projects located on rivers with high sediment concentration during the flood season. Removing the sediment deposition hydraulically by drawdown flushing is one of the most effective methods for restoring the storage capacity. Effectiveness of the flushing depends on various factors, as most of them are site specific. Physical/mathematical models can be effectively used to simulate the flushing operation, and based on the results of the simulation, the layout design and operation schedule of such projects can be modified for better sediment management. This paper presents the drawdown flushing studies of the reservoir of a Himalayan River Hydroelectric Project called Kotlibhel in Uttarakhand, India. For the hydraulic model studies, a 1:100 scale geometrically similar model was constructed. Simulation studies in the model indicated that drawdown flushing for duration of 12 h with a discharge of 500 m3/s or more is effective in removing the annual sediment deposition in the reservoir. The model studies show that the sedimentation problem of the reservoir can be effectively managed through hydraulic flushing.