Part B1: Basics

B1.3 Water conveyance

B1.3

Water conveyance
Topics
Inlet arrangements
Diversion structures, settling, dealing with
flood

Water transport
Limitations of canals

Getting around obstacles

Flumes, culverts, syphons, Inverted
syphons,

B1.3

Water conveyance
Conveyance arrangements

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Inlet arrangements: Considerations
How much of the flow to divert
Total flow needs weirs which are expensive
and may cause problems
Some fraction may be cheaper

Dealing with abnormal flow

Drought (low flow) lack of performance
(may not work at all)
Flood (high flow) things break!!!!

Dealing with sediment

Blocking of the inlet

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: siting

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: siting

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: siting

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes
Direct Inlet

Side Inlet

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes:Gabions

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Direct inlet

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Side inlet

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Pros and cons
Direct

Side

Better transport of silt Easier to construct

into the headrace
Self cleaning
More difficult to
construct
Needs special grill to
self clean

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Grilles
Sloped grille for
direct inlet

Plain grille for

side inlet

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Stream bed

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Rate of inlet

over-top
weir crest

Normal water level (hr)

Headrace water level (hh)

Intake area (A)

From Bernoulli

hnet

v2

2g

Q ACd 2 g hr hh

Cd

= 0.6-0.8

12

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Rate of inlet

over-top
weir crest

hovertop

C
b
w

23

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Rate of inlet:
Weir coefficients
Shape

coefficient

Broad; sharp edges

1.5

Broad; round edges

1.6

rounded

2.1

Sharp

1.9

Roof shaped

2.3

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Spillway

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Spillway

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Settlement

B1.3.1 Water conveyance

Water transport: Intakes: Settlement

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: Open channels:
Manning's equation

V = Stream velocity (m s-1)

R2 3S1 2
V
n

=
radius

Hydraulic

= Slope

= Manning roughness

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: Hydraulic radius:
producing the ideal cross section
Shape

Efficiency

Semi circular

Half hexagon

0.95

Vee

0.89

Half square

0.84

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: the ideal cross section
and variable flow

Relative efficiency

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
1

3/4

1/2

1/4

Water level
half circle

Half hexagon

Half square

Vee

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: Shapes for highly
variable flow

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: Soil and side slopes
Soil type
Sandy loam
Loam
Clay loam

Slope
2
1.5
1

Clay

0.58

Concrete

0.58

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: Limitations to velocity
To high channel erosion

To low - silting

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: Maximum and minimum
speeds
Maximum speeds

Clear Sedimented

Fine sand

0.45

0.45

Silt loam

0.60

0.60

Fine gravel

0.75

1.00

Stiff clay

1.2

0.90

Coarse gravel

1.2

1.8

Shale, hardpan

1.8

1.5

2.4

6.0

3.0

12.0

3.6

0.1

0.31

Steel
Timber
concrete
Minimum speeds

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: getting it wrong

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: grass in channels

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: grass in channels
Maximum speeds (m/s)

Bare

Medium
grass
cover

Very
good
grass
cover

Very light silty sand

0.3

0.75

1.5

Light loose sand

0.5

0.9

1.5

Coarse sand

0.75

1.25

1.7

Sandy loam

0.75

1.5

2.0

Sandy soil

1.0

1.7

2.3

Firm clay loam

1.5

1.8

2.3

Stiff clay or stiff gravelly soil

1.5

1.8

Course gravel

1.8

2.1

Unlikely
to form

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: High slopes: Hydraulic
jump

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: High slopes: Hydraulic
jump: Critical depth

Q
A

g
B

= Cross sectional area

(m)

=
breadth of
stream at the surface
(m)

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: High slopes: Steps

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: High slopes: Steps

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: making channels

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: making channels

B1.3.2 Water conveyance

Water transport: making channels

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: Flume

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: Flume

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: Pipe bridge

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: Pipe bridge

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: part full pipes

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: Culverts

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: Culverts

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: Inverted syphons

B1.3.3 Water conveyance

Obstacles: Inverted syphons

B1.3.4 Water conveyance

Comparison between closed pipes and
open channels
Open channels

Closed pipes

Susceptible to blocking

Water protected from

outside factors

Needs care with

manipulating gradients
to stay within limits

Constant flow rate easy

to maintain

Cheap to build

Expensive to build

Cheap to maintain

Expensive to maintain
blockages are hidden
and difficult to remove

Variable gradient
permissible

Air locks

B1.3

Water conveyance
Summary
Intakes should be carefully sited to avoid silting or
damage. They should also be self-cleaning
Water conveyance structures should be designed for
both high and low flow conditions. A number of
methods are available to do this such as weirs,
spillways and sluice gates
The height of the flow is predictable using Bernoulli
and manning formulas
Channel cross sections should take account
limitations placed by the soil. Stepping the channels
can be used to slow the flow and avoid hydraulic
jump
A number of methods can be used to overcome
obstacles such as flumes, pipes bridges, culverts
and inverted syphons

B2.1

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