Version 2

STANDARDS/MANUALS/
GUIDELINES FOR
SMALL HYDRO DEVELOPMENT





General
Planning the Projects on Canal Falls and Lock Structures






















Sponsor:

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
Govt. of India


Lead Organization:

Alternate Hydro Energy Center
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

May 2011

CONTENTS


S.No. TITLE Page No.
1. SCOPE 1
2. ASSESSMENT OF HYDROPOWER POTENTIAL 1
3. TYPES OF CANAL FALL PROJ ECTS 1
4. SAFETY ASSESSEMENT OF EXISTING STRUCTURES AND 2
FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS
5. INTAKE STRUCTURES 5
6. WATER CONDUCTOR 5
7. POWER HOUSE 5
8. INTERFERENCE WITH IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT` 5


AHEC/MNRE/SHP Standards/E&M Works Guidelines for Planning Projects on Canal Falls Page 1
1.2 II
GUIDELINES FOR PLANNING PROJECTS ON CANAL FALLS
1. SCOPE
The scope of these guidelines is to assist in planning a small, micro or mini hydro project
utilizing the drop on canal falls. The irrigation canals generally have a number of canal
falls ranging from 0.5 M to 5.0 M depending upon the country slope through which the
canal is passing. In India there are large numbers of old major irrigation canals of large
discharges and they have quite good number of falls. Many of these falls have been
harnessed for hydro power generation in the past (Eight falls on the upper Ganga canal
were harnessed during 1913 to 1940) and many such projects are still in planning and
construction stage. The potential of such schemes has been estimated as about 5000
MW. These schemes are easy to plan and construct because these are easily
approachable, assured discharge is available and located in plains.
2. ASSESSMENT OF HYDROPOWER POTENTIAL
The hydropower potential at any location is directly proportional to the product of
discharge and head. In schemes on canal falls the discharge is generally large and head is
small as it depends on the available drop at the canal falls, which is generally small.
Head can be increased by combining a couple of falls if they exist at short distance. One
example of combining the falls is Pathri power house (Constructed in 1954) on upper
Ganga canal where the head utilized is 9.8 M. Another example is Khatima power house
on Sarda Canal where the head utilized is 18 M.
Generally it is not economical to harness a drop less than 1.0 m.
The fixation of design discharge for such schemes depends on the operation pattern of
canals which generally run according to the water availability and the irrigation
requirement. In such schemes therefore, the first priority is irrigation and power
generation secondary. Some canals run throughout the year but with varying discharges,
and some canals are seasonal i.e. for some months of the year they remain closed. In
such cases the economics of power generation should be carefully assessed at the
planning stage.
The power potential can be worked out by usual formula using design discharge and the
drop available at the falls or falls combined.
If the canal is run only for power generation the power potential estimate can be made as
proposed for a run of the river HE project.
3. TYPES OF CANAL FALL PROJECTS
The type of canal fall projects depends on the location of the fall as well as the type of
canal i.e. whether the canal is old canal or new canal.
If the canal is an old one and the fall exists at some distance from the canal head, the
power house is located on a bypass channel. The typical layout is shown in Fig. 1. In
case a few falls are combined the power house is again located on a bypass channel at the
location opposite to the last fall as shown in Fig.2.
AHEC/MNRE/SHP Standards/E&M Works Guidelines for Planning Projects on Canal Falls Page 2
In case the canal is under construction, the power house can be located in the canal bed.
The channel width may be increased, if required, to accommodate the power house and
the bypass channel head in one line as shown in Fig.3.
In some cases the fall/drop may be available at the branch canal head regulator which
may be harnessed for power generation. In that situation a link bypass be made to
connect the main canal with the branch canal and the power house can be located at the
link channel. The typical layout is shown in Fig.4.
4. SAFETY ASSESSEMENT OF EXISTING STRUCTURES AND FURTHER
INVESTIGATIONS
In these cases the existing structure is canal fall or the regulator cum fall. If it is an
existing fall on an old canal it is generally abandoned and blocked and a new bypass head
inline or in the side of power house is made to pass the canal discharge in case the power
house is not in operation. Such a layout is shown in Fig. 5. In this case the safety
assessment of canal fall is not warranted. In case of a regulator canal fall on the existing
canal, it may be used as a bypass regulator head and so a new bypass head regulator is
not required. In that case the foundation condition and structural soundness of civil
works and the condition and operationability of gates with the load variation on
machinery should be examined. Generally manually or mechanically operated gates of
the regulator do not meet the operational requirement of the machines unless these are
replaced by automatic gates. In such a situation it is generally preferred to have a new
bypass head regulator near the power house.
In order to align the bypass channel and to locate the power house on the bypass along
with the bypass head regulator following information and investigations are generally
required.
Topography by the side of the canal in the vicinity of the fall or falls which are to
be used for power generation.
The availability of land. It is expeditious and economical to locate the bypass
channel and power house in the available canal land. If private land is to be
acquired, it should be the minimum required.
The soil strata along the bypass channel and at the power house site should be
explored. The bore hole logs be prepared at power house site up to a depth equal
to be width of powerhouse.





AHEC/MNRE/SHP Standards/E&M Works Guidelines for Planning Projects on Canal Falls Page 3




AHEC/MNRE/SHP Standards/E&M Works Guidelines for Planning Projects on Canal Falls Page 4

Fig. 5 General Layout Plan of Canal Power House



Fig. 6 Typical Low Head Development


AHEC/MNRE/SHP Standards/E&M Works Guidelines for Planning Projects on Canal Falls Page 5
The soil characteristics (C&) and permeability should be tested.
Permissible bearing capacity at power house site should be worked out.
The position of water table and its variation with time should be investigated.
Approach to the site
Power availability
Route for power evacuation
5. INTAKE STRUCTURES
In case of canal power stations the intake structure fitted with trash rack, stop log and
regulator gates is made part of the power house building. It is shown in Fig 6.
6. WATER CONDUCTOR
In case of canal power stations water from intake is taken directly to the scroll case and
no separate water conductor is required.
7. POWER HOUSE
Generally power house on canal falls are surface power house with horizontal/vertical
setting machines. The location of power house should be selected such that required area
is available without excessive excavation and is sufficiently away from the existing canal
to reduce the extent of dewatering. The problems which are generally encountered in
constructing such power house are
Seepage control during excavation of power house pit due to the proximity of a
canal in operation
low bearing capacity of the soil strata
low frictional resistance between power house foundation and the soil resulting in
low factor of safety against sliding
large uplift pressure
In view of above, proper investigations and provision of adequate measures while
designing the power house are essential. Generally a raft foundation with adequate base
area considering the permissible bearing capacity is provided. In case of low bearing
capacity measures may be taken to improve it. If it is not feasible then provision of well
foundation or pile foundation should be considered to support the power house raft.
Similarly measures should be taken to improve the frictional resistance if the foundation
strata is made of clayey soil. These may be consist of (i) increasing the weight of
structure by projecting the raft in upstream and loading it, (ii) reducing the uplift, (iii) by
replacing the top clayey soil by well graded sand-shingle mix of RBM (river bed
material), (iv) by providing the shear keys ( concrete cut-off at upstream and downstream
end of the raft.
8. INTERFERENCE WITH THE IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT
The power generation in such power stations is subject to the running of canals as per
irrigation requirement. Since a bypass is provided by the side of the power house,
irrigation requirements can easily be passed in the downstream in case the power house is
AHEC/MNRE/SHP Standards/E&M Works Guidelines for Planning Projects on Canal Falls Page 6
either not in operation or is running at part load. Hence with such power houses on
canals, there is no interference with irrigation requirements.
REFERENCE
Hydro Power Development Vol. I by E.Mosonyi