FLOOD MANAGEMENT AND RIVER ENGINEERING (CE 805) 8th sem (for secA &B )

Date: 20/5/20

Classification of Reservoirs:

Various types of reservoirs may be broadly classified as under-

i) Storage Reservoirs

ii) Flood control Reservoirs

iii) Distribution Reservoirs

iv) Multipurpose Reservoirs

Storage Reservoirs: These are small storage capacity reservoirs, which are constructed across canal
or river to store the water for meeting the water supply demand of the town irrigation and
hydroelectric generation during hot weather, when the stream discharge is less than the average
daily demand.

The excess water of the streams or canals during high flood is collected or stored in these
reservoirs. If this water is not stored, it will go waste, because there is no demand for it during rainy
or high flood time.

Flood control Reservoirs: These reservoirs are also known as flood mitigation reservoirs. The main
function of these reservoirs is to temporarily store the flood water and release it at such a safe rate
that it may not flood the downstream side. Usually the provision of flood control reservoirs in the
upstream side reduces the flood damage in the downstream side. The control of flood by means of
dam is a part of whole river system planning. There are mainly two works in flood control planning
viz. (a) river bed stabilisation planning for stabilizing the river channel from the upstream to
downstream side up to estuary and (b) flood disposing planning for safe disposal of flood water.

Distribution Reservoirs: These are the small capacity reservoirs used for the water supply of the
town. These reservoirs may be stored for storing raw water for treatment or for purified water. As
the water is required by city from these reservoirs at varying rate during the day, these reservoirs
permit the water treatment plant to function at a constant rate. Similarly when the water demand is
more than the pumping rate, it is met from the water of distribution reservoirs.

Multipurpose Reservoir: When the reservoirs are designed and constructed for a single specific
purpose, they are known as single purpose reservoir such as irrigation reservoir, clear water
distribution reservoir etc. but when the reservoirs are designed and constructed for more than one
purpose, they are known as multipurpose reservoir such as irrigation and hydroelectric purpose
reservoir.
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