Overview of River Diversion
Methods and Considerations
Jeff Riley, PE
Phoenix Area Office
Purpose of this presentation
Provide a general overview of diversion methods
Discuss engineering challenges and considerations
Brief summary of advantages and disadvantages of each
Bureau of Reclamation
Built large water projects throughout 17 western states
Constructed more than 600 dams and reservoirs
including Hoover Dam on the Colorado River and Grand
Coulee on the Columbia River
Largest wholesaler of water in the country
Second largest producer of hydroelectric power in US
Design capability and expertise to develop large water
projects, including dams, canals, pipelines, etc
The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage,
develop, and protect water and related resources in an
environmentally and economically sound manner in the
interest of the American public.
Diversion and Irrigation Rights
Current New Mexico Gila River diversion rights
Diversions use existing diversion structures
Existing conveyance ditches have limited flow capacity, ~25 cfs
Globe Equity 59 Decree diversion rights
Governs use of Gila R water from Virden to Salt River
With storage, could divert during winter months when ag use is
minimal and store for later use
AWSA diversion rights
Up to 350 cfs starting once river flows reach 150 cfs. At full
diversion of 350 cfs when river flows are about 500 cfs
Diversion Requirements
Develop enough depth of discharge to achieve desired
flow into canals or ditches.
AWSA flows need to be accurately measured.
May need to take, measure, and quantify more than one
kind of diversion water rights at one time.
Existing Diversions
Push-up diversions
Upper Gila
Ft West
Gila Farm
Riverside and Clark
Diversions using other materials
Sunset (concrete)
Virden (concrete, tires, cabled)
Freeport (concrete w/ wing wall across floodplain)
Fort West Diversion
Upper Gila Diversion
Sunset Diversion
Freeport-McMoRan Diversion
Future Diversion Options
Continue with push-up diversions
Advantages
Experienced with - Inexpensive - Easy to repair - Use on-site materials to
construct and repair - Minor environmental construction impacts
Maintain water elevation for gravity flow conveyance and storage options
Can be configured to take full 350 cfs AWSA flow
Natural river sediment transport maintained
Allows fish movement
Disadvantages
i. Frequent repairs
ii. May be challenging to accurately intake and measure AWSA flows
iii. May have sediment and debris problems when diverting AWSA flows
Future Diversion Options - Below ground infiltration galleries/collector pipes, Raney Wells
Raney Well
Future Diversion Options
Below ground infiltration galleries/collector pipes,
Raney Wells
Advantages
Active river channel natural appearance - Natural river sediment transport
maintained - No impacts to recreationists - Allows fish movement
Collected water nearly sediment free
Floods, flood debris doesnt impact operations
Disadvantages
Construction impacts significant, though temporary.
Lose ~30 feet in elevation for gravity flow conveyance & storage options
Pumping system often used, electrical costs
Significant underground collection system required to produce AWSA max
flow of 350 cfs.
Future Diversion Options
Rock cross vane weirs and grouted boulder weirs
Future Diversion Options
Rock cross vane weirs and grouted boulder weirs
Advantages
Active river channel natural appearance - Natural river sediment transport
maintained - Minor impacts to recreationists May allow fish movement
Less expensive than concrete structures
Maintain water elevation for gravity flow conveyance and storage options
Non-grouted fairly easy to repair, though rock likely to be imported.
Can be configured to take full 350 cfs AWSA flow
Disadvantages
Frequent maintenance likely, large flows will move rock cross vanes - if
grouted boulders not designed to scour depth, will undercut and fail
May be challenging to accurately intake and measure AWSA flows - may
have sediment and debris problems when diverting AWSA flows
Future Diversion Options
Concrete Structures
Standard structural concrete diversions
Coanda screen structures (Tilted wedge wire screen)
Rubber dams
All require:
Stable concrete bases to protect infrastructure from scour
Structure or wing walls tie to abutments to prevent lateral river
movement and abandon structure
Examples in Valley Sunset and Freeport diversions
Sunset Diversion
Freeport-McMoRan Diversion
Standard Structural Concrete Diversion
Gila
River
Flow
Plan View
Cross-Section View
Coanda Screen (Tilted wedge wire screen)
======= points of use
Coanda Screen
Coanda Screen
Coanda Screen
Coanda Screen
Rubber Dams
Filled with air or water
Can be raised or lowered as needed
Rubber Dam
RECLAMATION
Another application for rubber bladders Can be lowered to
allow sediment transport, maybe fish passage
Future Diversion Options
Concrete Structures
Advantages
Little to no structural maintenance Designed to structurally withstand
design flood and associated scour - Dependable, long functional life
Operational flexibility - Accurately intake and measure different water rights
Gain 5-10 feet of elevation above thalweg, except coanda at stream level
Disadvantages
Typically most expensive initial capital cost of the alternatives
Sedimentation O&M Must address upstream sediment levels to keep gates
operational
Impedes fish movement possibly mitigate with bypass ladder, inflatable
sections, or periodically move fish
Other Considerations
Public Safety
Swimmers, boaters Ensure not exposed to
hazardous drops or hydraulics (submerged hydraulic
jumps)
Configure overflow to avoid dangerous hydraulics
over complete range of flows
Other Considerations
Fish Passage Loach minnow and spikedace
Fish can pass in downstream direction. Certain
diversions impede movement upstream past the
barrier
Fish ladder/lazy river bypass untested for loach
minnow and spikedace
Physically capture and transport fish U/S of diversion
Loach
Minnow
Spikedace
Questions?
Jeff Riley, PE
Bureau of Reclamation
Chief, Engineering Division
Phoenix Area Office
623-773-6457
[email protected]
