Dam maintenance activities will be the main topic of Damen’s Mark Winkelman presentation at the Hydro 2018 in Gdansk, Poland, from 15-17 October 2018.
He will focus on the dredging depth and discharge pipe distance combined with the various types of dredgers available (cutter suction dredger (CSD), DOP dredger etc).
In rivers, natural currents continuously transport sediment. When a dam is built in that river – for creating a hydropower plant, or a reservoir for irrigation or drinking water – this sediment transport is blocked.
As a result, sediment builds up at the dam, gradually filling the reservoir. Therefore these artificial lakes need constant maintenance.
Operational reliability is key for a hydropower plant, therefore the turbine inlets need to be clean. And a clogged up water reservoir only holds a limited water capacity.