STATUS OF SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT

FOR RESERVOIRS IN INDIA AND THE

WAY FORWARD

Dr D.V. THAREJA
Former: Chairman GFCC MoWR,
Member (D&R) CWC
Director Tech. SNC-L India
 Precipitation ~ 4000 Bcm
Runoff ~ 1870 Bcm

Per capita per year, by 2000: ~ 1800 cum

(~1000 M population)

By year 2050: ~ 1100 cum

(~1600 M population)
 Utilizable ~1140 Bcm
(surface water ~700 Bcm, balance
ground water; large, medium, small
reservoirs; multi/ single purpose; 4
monsoon months, ~ 1 month of rain)

Many thousand dams, over 5000 large

 Live storage
Existing ~ 260 Bcm
(Under creation ~ 50 Bcm
Under consideration ~ 100 Bcm)
Per capita storage: ~ 200 cum

(China ~ 1100, USA ~ 2000,

Brazil ~ 3100)

Water SECURITY?
CWC monitors live storage status of 91
reservoirs (~162BCM) every week;

represents 2/3rd of existing ~260 BCM

end of monsoon of 2018, it was ~75%;

better than last year & average
BY 2050 live capacity loss of 50 BCM by
sedimentation (gross capacity loss per
year of 0.5%)

Will not be able to use ~ 200 Bcm of

ruoff!

Storage loss ~ 20%, population

increase ~ 25% of that at present!
Typical L-Section along a River
Storage locations are gift of nature

Single location of 40 BCM gross

storage!
Excessively slow pace of storage addition
& live storage loss to sedimentation, is a
pointer towards future stress

Status is untapped runoff,

unmet demands, water related conflicts
on the rise

Way forward- Effective sediment

management
 Can’t afford to allow sediment to
occupy reservoir space created for
water storage
 DRAFT POLICY ON SEDIMENT
MANAGEMENT
MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES,
RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND
GANGA REJUVENATION
NEW DELHI
July, 2017
 Compendium on silting of
reservoirs in India, CWC, GOI 2015

Information on 243 reservoirs

against 144 in 2001 publication
 Year--> Year--> 1992 (original 1994(post) 1995(post) 1997 (post) 1998 (post) 1999(Post) 2000(Post) 2001(Po
RD RD RL RL RL RL RL RL RL RL
0.00 20 636.0 668.0 673.2 675.0 668.0 666.95 669.90 668.0
50.00 50
L-SECTION (RAVI RIVER) 668.0 670.10 671.18 668.7
100.00 100 669.0 672.02 670.81 672.1
150.00 150 670.3 674.42 672.18 672.2
765
200.00 200 672.0 674.52 673.18 673.8
250.00 250 672.5 674.82 674.48 674.9
300.00
755 300 672.0 675.22 673.20 675.0
350.00 350 672.5 676.22 675.08 676.0
400.00 400 673.0 676.92 676.08 676.6
745
450.00 450 674.0 677.52 676.30 677.2
532.00 500 637.5 668.0 673.2 674.0 675.0 676.23 675.88 677.7
1004.00
735
1000 639.2 668.5 677.2 680.1 678.0 679.35 679.58 680.5
1364.00 1500 648.4 677.0 677.2 681.0 679.5 681.13 681.38 682.8
1619.00 2000 649.3 681.0 678.8 681.5 680.0 684.23 684.88 684.3
RL (m) of Reservoir ----->

725
2084.00 2500 652.0 682.0 683.4 684.2 684.8 685.63 686.38 687.0
2617.00 3000 659.2 682.7 690.6 694.1 692.0 691.73 692.53 692.6
3134.00 3500 664.0 684.1 694.0 695.0 693.5 694.33 695.03 695.3
715
3607.00 4000 668.0 684.5 691.2 698.0 697.0 697.43 697.63 697.7
4095.00 4500 673.0 685.9 693.2 700.5 696.5 697.03 698.43 698.9
4755.00
705 5000 678.6 692.0 702.2 706.6 705.0 704.83 705.83 706.2
5415.00 5500 682.0 691.7 700.0 710.0 706.5 707.55 708.23 708.6
5895.00 6000 688.8 694.9 703.0 713.5 713.3 713.75 709.03 710.8
Original 1992
695
6330.00 6500 693.6 696.5 706.4 718.0 716.0 716.95 718.22 718.2
Post-Mon-94
6810.00 7000 700.1 702.5 708.0 720.0 728.3 731.25 727.22 727.6
7275.00
685 7500 705.5 706.1 714.0 724.0 733.2 733.95 Post-Mon-95
736.42 739.0
7860.00 8250 707.0 707.1 728.2 735.2 736.5 738.55 737.82
Post-Mon-97 741.9
8220.00 8750 712.0 712.7 736.2 744.5 737.5 742.55 743.82
Post-Mon-98 746.0
675
8355.00 9000 714.3 716.2 736.6 741.6 739.0 740.95 748.82 745.0
Post-Mon-99
8760.00 9500 718.2 720.3 736.8 742.8 744.3 749.00 749.00 749.4
9645.00 10000 728.0 720.9 739.2 739.2 745.0 750.80 Post-Mon-00
750.80 749.6
665
10110.00 10500 731.6 725.0 725.0 725.0 750.0 752.00 752.00
Post-Mon-01 748.7
10553.00 11000 734.8 721.9 721.9 729.1 751.0 752.50 752.50
Post-Mon-02 750.0
655
10988.00 12000 738.1 735.0 735.0 738.1 751.0 753.00 753.00 750.3
Post-Mon-04
11438.00 12500 741.0 741.0 741.0 741.0 752.5 754.54 754.54 749.8
11888.00
645 13000 745.1 745.1 745.1 745.1 756.0 756.00 756.00 750.7
12263.00 13500 748.5 748.6 748.6 748.5 755.0 756.57 756.57 751.3
12773.00 14000 752.2 752.3 752.3 752.2 755.5 758.00 758.00 754.6
635
13268.00 14500 756.4 756.3 756.3 756.4 756.5 759.50 759.50 755.6
13763.00 0 150001000 760.5 2000 3000
761.1 4000
761.1 5000
760.5 6000 758.7 7000 758.738000 9000
758.73 10000
758.7
RD (m) along the Reservoir -----> 761.0
 Sediment management for
reservoirs has been the focus
around the year 1995 and after

Existing storages had been created

before this period

Thinking before 2000 and after:

case histories
 Take the case of Mega storages
8-10Bcm
Bhakra, Pong – Indus
Srisilam, Nagarjunasagar – Krishna
Ukai – Tapi
Sardarsarovar, Narmada – Narmada
Rihand, Gandhisagar – Ganga
Hirakud - Mahanandi
 Bhakra dam 225m high (~ 160m
above RBL, 70+90m )

Spillway dicharge ~5600cume

Outlets (8+8) disharge ~2600 cumec

Power intake (10 units) 710 cumec

 Max Spillway Section Bhakra Dam

FRL 513

Gross Storage ~ 10 BCM

~80 m
Live storage ~7.5 BCM ( 70 m)

~30 m

~ 50 m
 Bhakra receives ~40 MCM/year of
sediment,

In ~60 years of operation, ~25%

storage capacity loss (40% dead and
~15% live)
will silt up in 311 years/decommission
?
Agradation of river at u/s end of
reservoir causing additional
submergence

Hump formed 12km u/s of dam

not moving towards dam

Not planned to have control over

location of sediment deposition,
D/S View of Bhakra Dam
Salal entire storage of about
285 Mcum filled up with
sediment in about 5 years of
operations (1987-1992)
22
 Till recently, common practice to
provide dead storage for likely
sedimentation for 100 years
IS 12182(1987,1992,1997)“ ---
sedimentation in planning and
performance of reservoirs”; states live
storage be so planned that it remains
economically beneficial for “feasible
service time” of 100/70 years for
irrigation/hydro
IS 5477(1999) “Fixing the capacities
of reservoirs” first published in
1969

recognize sediment consumes both

dead & live capacity
IS 5477 (1999) Fixing the Capacities of Reservoirs
 IS 15472(2004) “---- low level
outlets for evacuating storage
reservoirs” states locate these
above 100 year silt level, ensure
functionality for life of project
 (d) There shall be NO OUTLETS below
the Dead Storage Level, UNLESS
NECESSARY FOR SEDIMENT CONTROL
or any other technical purpose ; any
such outlet shall be of the minimum
size, and located at the highest level ,
consistent with sound and economical
design and with satisfactory operation
of the works.
(e) If the conditions at the site of a
Plant make a GATED spillway
necessary, the bottom level of the
gates in normal closed position
shall be located at the highest level
consistent with sound and
economical design and satisfactory
construction and operation of the
works
 Most of storage projects
planned/constructed before 2000 have fate
same as Bhakra, Salal

Indian and international standards then

aimed at providing space for storage of
sediment

We can’t afford to wait, instead address

this issue on priority
 For each reservoir site, based on
sediment type & quantum, river
bed slope, shape and size of
reservoir, inflows & spare water to
transport sediment d/s of dam, size
& level/location of outlets---;
sustainable storage volume can be
assessed i.e sediment inflow equals
outflow
 Existing projects would need
interventions at an appropriate
time to implement needed changes
for which tried, tested & evolving
global technological solutions can
be handy
 EXPERIENCES

- Baglihar Dam openings created in part constructed

dam

- Sanmenxia dam of about10,000 Mcum storage, in

first 4 years of operations starting from1960, lost
about 50% capacity

- Lake tapping of Koyna

- Lakhya tailings dam reservoir partitioning
- Kaza, Khab dams to store sediments
- Nathpa Jhakri sediment byepass tunnel
-

33
SANMENXIA DAM, CHINA - OPENINGS BEING CREATED FOR
SEDIMENT FLUSHING
The dam was modified by opening up several conduits under the dam to allow for
sediment flushing during the flood peak.
SILT FLUSHING THROUGH SANMENXIA DAM
 In the last over 25 years, HE
projects- storage or RoR, have been
planned & constructed to conserve
a specific capacity of reservoir for
an infinite period, achieved
through large size, deep seated
outlets for sediment management
DPR STAGE - UPSTREAM
ELEVATION
 Tala HE Project
X-Section
ANNUAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOAD
IN TONNES AT DHAMKUND (CATCHMENT AREA : 18750
sq.km )
S.NO. YEAR ANNUAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT
LOAD IN MT
1 1968-69 25.5
2 1969-70 28.3
3 1970-71 25.2
4 1971-72 34.2
5 1972-73 35.3
6 1973-74 70.0
7 1974-75 28.7
8 1975-76 64.6
9 1976-77 27.8
10 1977-78 36.7
11 1978-79 46.2
12 1979-80 23.6
13 1980-81 30.6
14 1981-82 29.9
15 1982-83 24.1
16 1983-84 19.7
17 1984-85 27.6
18 1985-86 23.9
ANNUAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOAD
IN TONNES AT DHAMKUND (CATCHMENT AREA : 18750
sq.km )
S.NO. YEAR ANNUAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT
LOAD IN MT
19 1986-87 4.03
20 1987-88 18.7
21 1988-89 77.4
22 1989-90 33.4
23 1990-91 26.1
24 1991-92 24.8
25 1992-93 28.7
26 1993-94 30.9
27 1994-95 118.9
28 1995-96 40.6
29 1996-97 76.6
30 1997-98 117.5
31 1998-99 38.6
32 1999-00 36.2
33 2000-01 19.1
34 2001-02 25.5
35 2002-03 44.4
PLAN
• DHI studies show that the stabilized river bed conditions
are achieved in the initial 10-12 years

860
Dam wall
840

820

Reservoir bed level [m]

800
1 Years
2 Years 780
5 Years
10 Years 760
12 Years
Initial reservoir level 740

720

700
26000

19000

18000

17000

16000

15000

14000

13000

12000

11000

10000

1000
7000

6000

5000
8000

0
3000
9000
25000

24000

23000

22000

21000

20000

2000
4000
Reservoir distance [m]
Under construction projects,
changes introduced inspite of
contractual implications

- Kameng project
- Lakhwar dam
- Sinasingh dam
 Future projects being planned
accounting for,

- ICOLD publications + Bulletin 115

- CWC prepared Guidelines for

sediment management in hydropower
& WR projects, 2019 + Silt
compendium , 2015
- Case histories
DAM UPSTREAM ELEVATION-MIDDLE SUBANSIRI
D
 SUBANSIRI LOWER H.E.PROJECT
SEDIMENTATION PROFILE AFTER DIFFERENT YEARS OF SEDIMENTATION (ALL TRIBUTARIES CONSIDERED)

220

MWL
FRL
200

MDDL
180

Initial

Power Intake Level 1 years

BED LEVEL (m)

160
5 years
10 years
20 years
140 30 years
35 years
40 years
50 years
120
Power Intake Level
MDDL
FRL
100 MWL

80
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000 55000
DISTANCE FROM DAM (m)
 SUGGESTION
- ICOLD to provide guidelines, focusing
on interventions for sediment
management of existing storage
reservoirs, pooling of case histories

- BIS to amend all relevant codes

addressing not to store sediment /100
year life
THANKS