Abstract
Sedimentation is steadily depleting reservoir capacity worldwide, threatening the reliability of water supplies, flood control, hydropower energy and other benefits that form the basis of today’s water-intensive society. The strategies available to combat reservoir sedimentation may be classed into four broad categories. Three proactive categories seek to improve the sediment balance across reservoirs by: (a) reducing sediment yield from the watershed, (b) routing sediment-laden flows around or through the storage pool, and (c) removing deposited sediment following deposition. The fourth category (d) consists of strategies that adapt to capacity loss, without addressing the sediment balance. Successful management will typically combine multiple strategies. This paper presents a comprehensive classification of both proactive and adaptive strategies, consistent with current international practice. Functional descriptions and examples are given for each strategy, and criteria are provided to differentiate between them when there is potential for ambiguity. The classification categories can be used as a checklist of strategies to consider in evaluating sediment management alternatives for new designs as well as remedial work at existing sediment-challenged reservoirs. This will also help practitioners to more clearly describe and communicate the nature of their management activities. Widespread application of both active and adaptive strategies is required to bring sedimentation under control to sustain benefits of water storage for today’s and future generations.
Highlights
Dam construction creates a quiescent pool that interrupts the transport of sediment to the ocean.Reservoirs have already trapped more than 100 billion metric tons of sediment, representing 26% of the global sediment delivery to the ocean [1]
The classification categories can be used as a checklist of strategies to consider in evaluating sediment management alternatives for new designs as well as remedial work at existing sediment-challenged reservoirs
Progressive sedimentation together with a low rate of new reservoir construction has resulted in a declining reservoir storage volumes, and when population growth is factored in the per capita storage is declining rapidly [3]
Summary
Dam construction creates a quiescent pool that interrupts the transport of sediment to the ocean. Reservoir design and operation without a long-term sediment management strategy management strategy is not a sustainable approach, and no longer represents an engineering bestis not a sustainable approach, and no longer represents an engineering best-practice. We have an inventory of aging reservoirs with steadily growing sedimentation This underscores the need to analyze the sedimentation status and management potential for reservoirs, and and to to begin begin aggressive aggressive implementation implementation of of technologies technologies to to sustain sustain reservoir reservoir function function[15]. Water 2020, 12, 861 sediment and to adapt to sedimentation impacts, consistent with current international practice This classification can serve as a checklist of techniques to consider in evaluating sediment management alternatives for new designs as well as remedial activities at existing reservoirs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
