Diversion Head Works

Marks-12
Introduction
Any hydraulic structure which supplies water to the off-taking
canal is called a headwork.
Headwork may be
1. Storage headwork.
2. Diversion headwork.
A Storage headwork comprises the construction of a dam on
the river. It stores water during the period of excess supplies
and releases it when demand overtakes available supplies.
A diversion headwork serves to divert the required supply to
canal from the river.
Introduction
 A diversion head works is a structure constructed across a river
for the purpose of raising water level in the river so that it
can be diverted into the off taking canals.
 Diversion headwork's are generally constructed on the
perennial rivers which have adequate flow throughout the year
and, therefore, there is no necessity of creating a storage
reservoir.
 A diversion head works differs from a storage work or a dam.
A dam is constructed on the river for the purpose of creating a
large storage reservoir. The storage works are required for the
storage of water on a non-perennial river or on a river with
inadequate flow throughout the year.
Introduction
 If the storage on the upstream of a diversion head works is
significant, it is called a storage weir.

If a diversion headwork's is constructed on the downstream of a

dam for the purpose of diverting water released from the u/s dam
into the off taking canals, it is called a pickup weir.
Functions of a Diversion Headwork's

 It raises the water level on its upstream side.

It regulates the supply of water into canals.

 It controls the entry of silt into canals

 It creates a small pond (not reservoir) on its upstream

and provides some poundage.

 It helps in controlling the vagaries of the river.

Diversion Headwork's Component Parts
Diversion Headwork's Component Parts
1.Weir or barrage
2.Under sluices
3.Divide wall
4.Fish ladder
5.Canal head regulator
6.Approach channel
7.Silt excluders
8.River training works (Marginal bunds and guide banks)
 Diversion Headwork's Component Parts
1.Weir-:
 It is a barrier constructed across the river to raise the water level on
the upstream side of the obstruction in order to feed the main canal.
 It may be provided with small shutters (gates) on its top.
 In the case of weir, most of the raising of water level or ponding is
done by the solid weir wall and little with by the shutters.
 If the difference between the pond level and the crest level is
less than 1·5 m or so, a weir is usually constructed.
In the case of a weir, the crest shutters are dropped during floods so
that the water can pass over the crest. And in the dry period, these
shutters are raised to store water up to the pond level.
 Generally, the shutters are operated manually, and there is no
mechanical arrangement for raising or dropping the shutters.
Weir – Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
The initial cost of weirs is usually low.
Disadvantages:
There is a large afflux during floods which causes large
submergence.
Because the crest is at high level, there is great silting problem.
The raising and lowering of shutters on the crest is not convenient.
Moreover, it requires considerable time and labour.
 The weir lacks an effective control on the river during floods
 A roadway can not be conveniently provided over the weir.
Diversion Headwork's Component Parts
Component parts of Weir-:
Diversion Headwork's Component Parts
Component parts of Weir-:

(3)Upstream curtain wall-

It is provided to reduce the uplift pressure. its length depends
upon the nature of soil.
 Diversion Headwork's Component Parts
(4) Down stream apron-:
Downstream apron serves like energy desipitors.these are
provided for destroying kinetic energy and thus prevent down
stream side from erosion. Its length depends upon the height of
fall nature.
(5) Down stream curtain wall-:
It protect downstream floor from uplift pressure. Its length
depends upon the length of weir.
(6) Crest-:
It is the top of the weir. it must be strong and durable as it has to
resist water pressure often during floods. During flood water
flow over the crest.
 Diversion Headwork's Component Parts
(7) Shutter-:
Shutter are provided at the top of weir. It also helps in raising the
water level on upstream of river. shutter must be strong to resist
water pressure
 Types of weirs -:
Gravity and Non-gravity weirs:
 When the weight of the weir (i.e. its body and floor) balances the
uplift pressure caused by the head of the water seeping below the
weir, it is called a gravity weir.

 On the other hand, if the weir floor is designed continuous with

the divide piers as reinforced structure, such that the weight of
concrete slab together with the weight of divide piers keep the
structure safe against the uplift then the structure may be called as
a non-gravity weir.
 Types of weirs -:
Classification of Gravity weirs:
(a) Masonry weirs with vertical drop -:
 Masonry weir wall is constructed over the impervious floor. Cut-
off walls are provided at both ends of the floor. Sheet piles are
provided below the cut off walls. The crest shutters are provided
to raise the water level, if required. The shutters are dropped down
during flood. The masonry weir wall may be vertical on both face
or sloping on both face or vertical on downstream face and
sloping in upstream face.
(b) Rock-fill weirs with sloping aprons
It consists of masonry breast wall which is provided with
adjustable crest shutter. The upstream rock-fill portion is
constructed with boulders forming a slope of 1 in 4. The boulders
are grouted with cement mortar. The downstream sloping apron
consists of core walls. The intermediate spaces between the core
walls are filled up with boulders maintaining a slope of 1 in 20.
The boulders are grouted properly with cement mortar.
(c) Concrete weirs with sloping glacis

Now-a-days, the weir is constructed with reinforced cement

concrete. The impervious floor and the weir are made monolithic.
The cut off walls are provided at the upstream and downstream
end of the floor and at the toe of the weir. Sheet piles are provided
below the cut-off walls. The crest shutters are also provided which
hare dropped down during the flood.
Pick up weir-:
 These are constructed when command area is
far away from reservoir either due to rolling
topography or because the land is not culturable
and if there is broken or rolling topography on
one or both banks of parent river in which
construction of canal may be costly.

 a pickup weir is constructed on the

downstream of a dam quite away from it in the
boulder reach or the alluvial reach of the river
to divert the water released from the dam into
canals for irrigation and other purposes.
Pick up weir-:
Barrage-:
 A barrage has a low crest wall with high gates.
 As the height of the crest above the river bed is low most of
the ponding is done by gates.
 During the floods the gates are opened so afflux is very
small.
 this difference between pond level and the crest level is
greater than 1·50 m, a gate-controlled barrage is generally
more suitable than a weir.
 a barrage, the control of pondage and flood discharge is
achieved with the help of gates which are mechanically
operated
Barrage – Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
The barrage has a good control on the river during floods. The
outflow can be easily regulated by gates.
The afflux during floods is small and, therefore, the
submerged area is less.
 There is a good control over silt entry into the canal.
 There is a good control over flow conditions, shoal formations
and cross-currents on the upstream of the barrage.
 There are better facilities for inspection and repair of various
structures.
 A roadway can be conveniently provided over the structure at
a little additional cost.
Disadvantages:
The initial cost of Barrage is very high.
Under sluice -:
 The under sluices are the openings provided at the base of the weir
or barrage.
 These openings are provided with adjustable gates. Normally, the
gates are kept closed.
 The crest level of the under sluices is generally kept at the average
bed level of the river.
The main functions of under-sluices are:
o To maintain a well defined deep channel approaching the canal head
regulator.
o To ensure easy diversion of water into the canal through the canal
head regulator even during low flow.
o To control the entry of silt into the canal
o To help scouring and of the silt deposited over the under-sluice floor
and removing towards the downstream side.
o To help passing the low floods without dropping the shutters of the
weir.
Under sluice -:
Under sluice -:
Fish Ladder
 It is device by which the flow energy can be dissipated in such a manner
as to provide smooth flow at sufficiently low velocity, not exceeding 3 to
3.5 m/s.
 A narrow opening including suitable baffles or staggering devices in it is
provided adjacent to the divide wall.
 The fish ladder is provided just by the side of the divide wall for the free
movement of fishes. Rivers are important source of fishes.
There are various types of fish in the river. The nature of the fish varies
from type to type. But in general, the tendency of fish is to move from
upstream to downstream in winters and from downstream to upstream in
monsoons. This movement is essential for their survival. Due to
construction of weir or barrage, this movement gets obstructed, and is
detrimental to the fishes.
 In the fish ladder, the fable walls are constructed in a zigzag manner so
that the velocity of flow within the ladder does not exceed 3 m/sec
 The width, length and height of the fish ladder depend on the nature of
the river and the type of the weir or barrage.
Fish Ladder
Fish Ladder
Divide wall:
The divide wall is a masonry or concrete wall constructed at right
angle to the axis of the weir.

The divide wall extends on the upstream side beyond the

beginning of the canal head regulator; and on the downstream side,
it extends up to the end of the loose protection of the under-sluices.

The divide wall is a long wall constructed at right angles in 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 head regulator and on the downstream side, it is
extended up to the launching apron
Divide wall:
The main functions of the divide walls:

It separates the ‘under-sluices’ with lower crest level from

the ‘weir proper’ with higher crest level.

It helps in providing a comparatively less turbulent pocket

near the canal head regulator, resulting in deposition of silt in
this pocket and, thus, to help in the entry of silt-free water into
the canal.

It helps to keep cross-current, if any, away from the weir.

Canal Head Regulator
A structure which or Head sluices
is constructed at the head of the canal to
regulate 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 piers consist of number tiers on which the adjustable gates are
placed.
The gates are operated form the top by suitable mechanical device.
A platform is provided on the top of the piers for the facility of
operating the gates. Again some piers are constructed on the down
stream side of the canal head to support the roadway.
Functions of Canal Head Regulator:
It regulates the supply of water entering the canal
It controls the entry of silt in the canal
It prevents the river-floods from entering the canal
Canal Head Regulator or Head sluices
The water from the under-sluice pocket is made to enter the
regulator bays, so as to pass the full supply discharge into the canal.
The maximum height of these gated openings, called head sluices
will be equal to the difference of Pond Level and Crest Level of the
regulator.
The entry of silt into the canal is controlled by keeping the crest of
the head regulator by about 1.2 to 1.5 meters higher than the crest of
the under-sluices.
 If a silt-excluder is provided, the regulator crest is further raised by
about 0.6 to 0.7 meter.
Silt gets deposited in the pocket, and only the clear water enters the
regulator bays.
The deposited silt can be easily scoured out periodically, and
removed through the under-sluice openings.
Canal Head Regulator or Head sluices
Canal Head Regulator or Head sluices
Silt Regulation works-:
The entry of silt into a canal, which takes off from a head works,
can be reduced by constructed certain special works, called silt
control works.
 These works may be classified into the following two types:
(a) Silt Excluders
(b) Silt Ejectors

(a) Silt Excluders-:

Silt excluders are those works which are constructed on the bed of
the river, upstream of the head regulator. The clearer water enters the
head regulator and silted water enters the silt excluder. In this type of
works, the silt is, therefore,, removed from the water before in enters
the canal.
Silt Regulation works-:
Silt is excluded from water entering the canal, constructed in the
bed in front of head regulator - excludes silt from water entering the
canal
Designed such that the top and bottom layers of flow are separated
with the least possible disturbance.
Top water to canal - bottom, silt laden through under sluices
No of tunnels resting on the floor of the pocket of different lengths
The tunnel near the head regulator being of same length as that of
the width of head regulator - tunnel of different length.
Capacity of tunnel is about 20% of canal discharge
Minimum velocity 2 to 3 m/s to avoid deposition in tunnel is kept
the same as sill level of head regulator.
From discharge and scouring velocity the total waterway required for
under water tunnels can be determined
Silt Regulation works-:
Silt Regulation works-:
(b) 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.
Silt Regulation works-:
Device by which the silt, after it has entered the canal is extracted
or thrown out.
Constructed on the canal some distance away from head regulator.
 Horizontal diaphragm above the canal bed
 Canal bed slightly depressed below the diaphragm 0.5 to 2.8m
Under diaphragm, tunnel which extent the highly silted bottom water
tunnel.
There should be no disturbance of flow at the entry.
Sediment - laden are diverted by curved vanes
Forwards the escape chamber: steep slope to escape channel is
provided.
The streamlined vane passage accelerate the flow through them,
thus avoiding deposition (decreasing section area increases the flow
velocity)
The tunnel discharge by gate at the outlet end (escape channel)
Silt Regulation works-:
River
River Training Worksare required near the weir site in order to ensure a
training works
smooth and an axial flow of water, and thus, to prevent the river from
outflanking the works due to a change in its course.
The river training works required on a canal headwork are:
(a) Guide banks
(b) Marginal bunds
(c) Spurs or groynes
(a) 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.
Guide bank serves the following purposes:
 It protects the barrage from the effect of scouring and erosion.
 It provides a straight approach towards the barrage.
 It controls the tendency of changing the course of the river.
 It controls the velocity of flow near the structure.
River Training Works
(b) Marginal Bunds
The marginal bunds are earthen embankments which are
constructed parallel to the river bank on one or both the banks
according to the condition. The top width is generally 3 m to 4 m.
The side slope on the river side is generally 1.5: 1 and that on the
country side is 2:1.
The marginal bunds serve the following purposes:
 It prevents the flood water or storage water from entering the
surrounding area which may be submerged or may be water
logged.
 It retains the flood water or storage water within a specified
section.
 It protects the towns and villages from devastation during the
heavy flood.
 It protects valuable agricultural lands.
River Training Works
(c) Spurs or groynes
(i) Spurs
These are temporary structures permeable in nature provided on
the curve of a river to protect the river bank from erosion. These
are projected from the river bank towards the bed making angles
60 to 75 with the bank of the river. The length of the spurs
depends on the width of the river and the sharpness of the curve.
The function of the spurs is to break the velocity of flow and to
form a water pocket on the upstream side where the sediments get
deposited. Thus the reclamation of land on the river bank can be
achieved.
The spurs may be of the following types:
(a) Bamboo Spur
(b) Timber Spur
(c) Boulder Spur
(ii) Groynes
River Training Works
The function of groynes is similar to that of spur. But these are
impervious permanent structures constructed on the curve of a river to
protect the river bank from erosion. They extend from the bank towards
the bed by making an angle of 60 to 75 with the bank. The angle may be
towards the upstream or downstream. Sometimes, it is made
perpendicular to the river bank. These are constructed with rubble
masonry in trapezoidal section and the surface is finished with stone
pitching or concrete blocks.
HOME WORK QUESTION
1. Write the Difference between Barrage and Weir .

Presented by
Prof.Ashish D.Kale
Lecturer-K.K.Wagh Poly.Nashik
Civil Department