4.

Diversion Head works

4. Diversion Head works
Introduction to Diversion Head Works
 River diversion headwork are constructed
at the head of the canal to divert the river
water towards the canal, so as to ensure a
regulated continuous supply of silt-free
water with a certain minimum head into the
canal.
 The headwork can be either:
 diversion headwork or
 storage headwork.
 4. Diversion Head works
Diversion head work
 Divert the required supply of water from the source
channel to the off taking canal.
 The water level in the source channel is raised to
the required level so as to divert the required
supplies into the off taking canal.
 The headwork must have an arrangement for
controlling the sediment entry into the canal off
taking from a river.
Storage head work
 Besides fulfilling all the requirements of diversion
headwork, store excess water when available and
release it during periods when demand exceeds
supplies.
4. Diversion Head works
 4. Diversion Head works
Objectives of Diversion Head Works
 To raises the water level at the head of canal on its
upstream side so that commanded area can be
increased.
 To form a storage by construction of dykes on both
side of banks of the river so that water is available
throughout the year.
 To control the entry of silt into the canal and the
deposition of silt at the head of canal.
 To control the fluctuation of water level in the river
during different seasons.
 It regulates the supply of water into canals.
 It provides some storage of water for a short period.
4. Diversion Head works
 4. Diversion Head works
Selection of Site for Diversion Head Works
The following points should be considered to select a site for
diversion head works:
 The river should be straight and narrow at the site
 The elevation of site should be higher than the area to be
irrigated for gravity flow.
 River banks at site should be well defined and stable.
 Valuable land upstream of the barrier like weir or barrage
should not be submerged.
 Site should be close to the cropland to minimize loss of
water due to seepage and evaporation of canal.
 The site should provide a good foundation for construction
of weir or barrage.
 Material of construction should be locally available.
 Roads or railway communication to the site is essential to
carry the material of construction.
 4. Diversion Head works
Selection of Site for Diversion Head Works
 4. Diversion Head works
Components of Diversion Headwork

 Weir or barrage  Silt excluder

 Canal head regulator  Silt ejector.
 Divide Wall  Marginal
 Fish Ladder embankment or dikes
 Guide bank
 Scouring Sluices
Under sluices  Silt pocket or trap.
4. Diversion Head works
Components of Diversion Headwork
 4. Diversion Head works
Weir or Barrage
Weir is a solid obstruction placed across the river.
 Its main function is to raise the water level so that water
can be diverted by canal to crop field due to difference
of head.
Barrage is practically a low weir with an adjustable gate
over this low weir.
 Heading up of water is affected by gate.
4. Diversion Head works
Weir
4. Diversion Head works

Barrage
4. Diversion Head works
Weir
4. Diversion Head works
 4. Diversion Head works
Types of Weir
Weir may be of different types based on material of
construction, design features and types of soil foundation
as:
1. Masonry weirs with vertical drop or vertical drop
weirs.
2. Rock fill weirs with sloping aprons
3. Concrete weirs with a downstream glacis
 4. Diversion Head works

1. Masonry Weir /Vertical Drop Weir

 A crest gate may be provided to store more water
during flood period.
 At the upstream and downstream ends of impervious
floor cut off piles are provided.
 Launching apron are provided both at upstream and
downstream ends of floor to safeguard against
scouring action.
 A graded filter is provided immediately at the
downstream end of impervious floor to relieve the
uplift pressure.
 This type of weir is suitable for any type of
foundation.
 4. Diversion Head works

1. Masonry Weir /Vertical Drop Weir

 4. Diversion Head works

1. Masonry Weir /Vertical Drop Weir

 4. Diversion Head works
2.Sloping Concrete weirs with a downstream glacis
 This type is suitable for soft sandy foundation/ pervious foundations
 Floor made of concrete
 It is used where difference in weir crest and downstream riverbed is
not more than 3 m.
 Hydraulic jump is formed when water passes over the sloping
glacis/developed at the d/s slope due to which considerable amount
of energy is dissipated
 Weir of this type is of recent origin and its design is based on sub-
surface flow concept.
 Protection works such as inverted filter; block protection and
launching apron are provided. It may be constructed on pervious
foundation.
 Sheet piles of sufficient depths are provided both at upstream and
downstream ends of the floor.
 Sometimes intermediate piles are also provided
 4. Diversion Head works
Sloping Weir of Concrete
 4. Diversion Head works
Rock fill weirs with sloping aprons
 It is dry stone or rock fill weir.
 It consists of body wall/ masonry weir wall and
upstream and downstream dry stones are laid in the
form of glacis with some intervening core wall.
 It is the simplest type for construction and Consists of:
 Dry packed boulders laid in the form of glacis or
sloping aprons in the upstream and downstream sides
of the weir wall.
 The downstream slope is generally made very flat. It
requires a very large quantity of stone. It also has
few intervening core walls.
 4. Diversion Head works
Rock fill weirs with sloping aprons
 4. Diversion Head works
Barrage
 When the water level on the upstream side of the weir is
required to be raised to different levels at different time,
then the barrage is constructed.
 Practically a barrage is an arrangement of adjustable gates
or shutters at different tiers over the weir.
 The water level can be adjusted by the opening of gates.
4. Diversion Head works
Barrage
 4. Diversion Head works
Barrage

 Crest is kept at a low level

 Raising up of water level is accomplished by means of
gates
 During floods, these gates are raised and clear off the
high flood level
 4. Diversion Head works
Divide Wall
 The Divide Wall is a long wall constructed at right angle to
the weir or barrage, it may be constructed with stone masonry
or cement concrete.
 On the upstream side, the wall is extended just to cover the
canal regulator and on the down stream side, it is extended up
to the launching apron.
 The functions of the divide wall are as follows,
 To form a still water pocket in front of the canal head so
that the suspended silt can be settled down which then
later can be cleared through the scouring sluices from time
to time.
 It resists the overturning effect on the weir or barrage
caused by the pressure of the impounding water.
4. Diversion Head works
Divide Wall
 4. Diversion Head works
Scouring Sluices or Under Sluices
Under-Sluices (or Scouring Sluices): The under sluices are the
openings that are located on the same side as the off-taking canal
and are fully controlled by gates, provided in the weir wall with
their crest at a low level. Their main functions are:
(i) It helps in controlling the silt entry into the canal.
(ii) It scours the silt deposited on the river bed above the
approach channel.
(iii) It passes the low floods with out dropping the shutter of the
main weir.
(iv) It preserves a clear and defined river channel approaching
the regulator.
4. Diversion Head works
Scouring Sluices or Under Sluices
 4. Diversion Head works
Fish Ladder
 The Fish Ladder is provided just by the side of the divide wall
for the movement of fishes.
 Rivers are important source of fishes.
 There are various types of fish in the river.
 The nature of fish varies from type to type.
 This movement is essential for their survival.
 Due to construction of weir or barrage, this movement gets
obstructed, and is detrimental to the fishes.
 For the movement of the fishes along the course of the river, the
fish ladder is essential.
 In the fish ladder, the baffle walls are constructed in the zigzag
manner so that the velocities of flow within the ladder does not
exceed 3 m/s.
 4. Diversion Head works
Fish Ladder
 The width, length, and height of the fish ladder depends on
the nature of the river and the type of the weir or barrage.
 4. Diversion Head works
Canal Head Regulator
 A structure which is constructed at the head of the canal
regulator to regulate the flow of water is known as canal
head regulator.
 It consists of a number of piers which divide the total width
of the canal into a number of spans which are known as bays.
 The pier consists of a number of tiers on which the adjustable
gates are placed.
 The gates are operated from the top by suitable mechanical
device.
 A platform is produced on the top of the piers for the facility
of operating the gates.
 Again some piers are constructed on the downstream side of
the canal head to support the roadway.
4. Diversion Head works
Canal Head Regulator
 4. Diversion Head works
Silt Excluder
 To eliminate the suspended heavy silt, the silt excluder is
provided.
 It consists of a series of tunnels starting from the side of the
head regulator up to the divide wall.
 The tunnels are covered by R.C.C. Slab.
 So, the completely clear water is allowed to flow in the canal
through the head regulator.
 The suspended heavy silt carried by the water enters the silt
excluder tunnels and passes out through the scouring sluices.
 Silt excluders are those works which are constructed on the
bed of the river, upstream of the head regulator.
4. Diversion Head works
Silt Excluder
 4. Diversion Head works
Silt Ejectors
 Silt ejectors, also called silt extractors, are
those devices which extract the silt from
the canal water after the silted water has
traveled a certain distance in the off-take
canal.
 These works are, therefore, constructed on
the bed of the canal, and little distance
downstream from the head regulator.
4. Diversion Head works
Silt Ejectors
 4. Diversion Head works
Marginal Embankments or dykes
 The marginal embankments or dykes are earthen
embankments which are constructed parallel to the river
bank on one or both the banks according to the condition.
 The Marginal Bunds are constructed for the following
purposes.
 It prevents the flood water or storage water from
entering the surrounding area.
 It retains the flood water or storage water within a
specified section.
 It Protects the towns and village from devastation
during the heavy flood.
 It protects valuable agricultural lands.
4. Diversion Head works
Marginal Embankments or dykes
 4. Diversion Head works
Guide Bank
 When a barrage is constructed across a river which flows
through the alluvial soil, the guide banks must be
constructed on both the approaches to protect the
structure from erosion.
 It is an earthen embankment with curved head on both
the ends.
 The Guide Bank serves the following purposes.
 It protects the barrage from the effect of scouring and
erosion.
 It controls the tendency of changing the course of the
river.
 It controls the velocity of the flow near the structure.
 4. Diversion Head works
Guide Bank
Components of Guide Banks are:
 Upstream curved head
 Downstream curved head
 Shank portion which joins upstream and downstream
curved end
 Sloping apron
 Launching apron
 Pile protection
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
 The following hydrological and topographical data must
be collected before designing of weir or barrage:
 High flood levels for the river at the weir site;
 Maximum flood discharge for the river at the weir
site;
 River cross‐section at the weir site; and
 The stage discharge curve for the river at the weir
site.
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
 There are also some basic factors, which have to be
decided while designing a weir or a barrage:
 Crest Levels
 Afflux

 Waterway and the discharge per meter

 Pond Level
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
Discharge Over the Weir
 The discharge over the crest of the weir is determined
using the equation:
 Q = 1.7 (L – K n H) H 3/2 broad crested weir
 Q = 1.84 (L – K n H) H 3/2 sharp crested weir
 L = clear water way (m)
 K = Coefficient of end contractions (0.1 to 0.04)
 n = no of end contractions
 H = Total head including velocity head
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
Discharge Over the Weir
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
Discharge Over the Weir
Masonry Weir with vertical drop
 Old type of weir
 Suitable for any type of foundation
 Design based on Bligh’s theory
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
Discharge Over the Weir
Concrete Weir with d/s glacis
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
Discharge Over the Weir
Rock fill weir with sloping apron
 Requires huge quantity of stones.
 Usually constructed in mountainous regions where large
quantities of stones are available within economical
heads.
 Stability of such a weir is not amenable to theoretical
treatment.
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
Discharge Over the Weir
Rock fill weir with sloping apron
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
Discharge Over the Weir
 4. Diversion Head works
Design Consideration of weir or
Barrage
Design aspects in respect of surface flow
Determination of pond level
 Head corresponding to design FSL in canal
Afflux
 (rise in water level u/s because of weir)

You will see the design problem

 4. Diversion Head works
Design Problem – Weir
Design a glacis weir for the following data obtained at the site.
 Maximum discharge intensity on weir crest = 12.5 m3/s/m
 HFL before construction of weir = 225.00 m
 River bed level = 218.75 m
 Pond level = 224.00 m
 Height of crest shutters = 1.5 m
 Anticipated d/s water level in the river when the weir is
discharging with pond level u/s = 221.50 m
 Bed retrogression = 0.5m
 Lacey’s silt factor = 0.9
 Permissible exit gradient = 1/7
 Permissible afflux = 1 m