Role of geological structures in seepage from Lar dam reservoir

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to estimate the water seepage from Lar dam reservoir based on a combination of the geological structure study results and identification of the flow conduits in the right bank of the reservoir. From the beginning of impounding the dam in 1980, heavy seepage was observed at two karstic springs, Haraz and Galugah, located about 9 km downstream of the dam. During the first impounding, the discharge of the Haraz spring abruptly increased from 0.5 m3/s to around 5 m3/s. The results of piezometers and dye tests indicate that seepage occurs mainly through the right abutment of the dam where there is a structural wedge between the north dipping North Tiz Kuh and the south dipping Lar Valley faults. F1, F2, and F3 faults are the most important faults in vicinity of the structural wedge. Based on the dye test results, the North Tiz Kuh and F3 faults along which caves No. 1 and 2 are formed are regarded as two isolated conduits for seepage and conveyance into Lar Valley Fault at downstream of Lar dam. After identifying the conduits, water seepage from the Lar dam reservoir has been calculated using finite element method. According to the results of numerical method, when the reservoir water level is at 2485 m a.s.l, the average of water seepage is around 8.51 m3/s (this amount of water is related to the seepage along the Lar Valley Fault). The average discharge of springs downstream of the dam has been used to verify the numerical method. The results show a very close relation between estimated and observed discharge.