SPILLWAYS

Paul Welle, PE

schnabel-eng.com

Spillway Purpose

Safely pass water through dam

To achieve purpose of dam
Without overtopping the dam

(Capacity)

Without significant erosion for most storms

(Stability)

Without breaching the dam for SDF

(Integrity)

Spillway Deficiency
Its just a matter of time

Older dams were generally designed to

less stringent criteria
Criteria for a dam classification have
changed over time
Downstream development has changed
hazard classifications over time

Options for Dams with Earth or Rock

Cut Auxiliary Spillways
Raise the top of dam elevation
Widen the spillway
Armor the auxiliary spillway

RCC
ACB
Cutoff

Armor the dam and allow it to overtop

Justify reduction in the design flood
Remove the dam

Spillway Fundamentals

Discharge (Q) = Cd L H3/2

Cd = discharge coefficient
L = length of spillway crest
H = head
(Almost all overflow spillways
are modeled using some
variation of this theme)

Q = CL H

3/2

Discharge Coefficient
Dependent on Weir Type:
Broad Crested: C=2.3 to 2.8
Sharp Crested: C=3.0 to 3.4
Ogee: C=3.5 to 4.0+

General Types of Spillways

Linear (2-D) Weirs (straight crest alignment)

Broad-crested
Sharp-Crested
Ogee (curved crest)

Segmented (3-D) Weirs

Drop inlet
Labyrinth

Broad Crested Weir Examples

Sharp Crested Weir Examples

Ogee Weir Examples

What makes an ogee spillway so

much more efficient?

Ogee Magic

Sharp Crest

Rising Lower
Nappe

Sharp Crest
Equivalent

Cogee = Csharp
[Hactual/Hnominal]3/2

H nominal

H actual

Ogee Magic

Ogee Crest

An ogee takes advantage of the rising lower

nappe to emulate a sharp-crested weir at a lower
elevation

Q = C L H

3/2

Weir Length
If space available, can expand spillway in
straight line; alternatively, 3D weirs used.

Labyrinth
(L2 to L6)

Radial Weir
(+11% for 90;
+57% for 180)

Box-Inlet Drop
(L2 to L4)

3-D Spillways (non-linear)

Drop Inlets and Box Drop Spillways

Behave similar to linear weirs
Typically sharp-crested

Labyrinth Spillways
Articulated (zigzagged) to increase weir
length
Hydraulic performance differs from linear
weirs

Other plan-forms

Box-Inlet Drop Structure

A Look at Labyrinth Weirs

Zigzag layout can dramatically increase
weir length within a given width
Efficiency decreases with head
Requires a large upstream-downstream
footprint

Cd for Labyrinth Weirs

Effective Coefficient (Cd)

14
12

L/W=4

10
L/W=3

L/W=2

Ogee crest

4
2

Broad crest
0
0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

Sharp crest
0.5

H/P

0.6

0.7

0.8

Q = C L H

3/ 2

Spillway Head
Depth of flow over the spillway - at capacity
it is the difference between the top of dam
(less freeboard) and the spillway elevation.
Top of Dam
Hmax
H
Spillway Crest

Solutions:
Raise top of Dam
Lower Spillway Crest

Embankment Raising

Embankment Raising
Concrete Parapet

Embankment Raising
Vinyl Sheet Pile Parapet

Embankment Raising

Increase H during flood

Cost effective (< 4 to 6 ft)

Common Raising Options

Earthfill (Small
Raise, Ample
Crest Width)

Common Raising Options

Parapet
(concrete,
sheeting)

Common Raising Options

Combination
(larger raises)

Resort Dam Raising

Raising Issues
Effective for small raises
May increase flood pool levels
Large raises will generally necessitate
other costly dam safety improvements
(raised training walls, enlarged energy
dissipators, etc.)
Could instigate a change in classification

Spillway Expansion

Spillway Expansioin

Embankment Armoring

Application of an erosion-resistant cover for

an earth dam to allow passage of extreme
flows
Typical armoring materials are rip rap, precast concrete block or roller compacted
concrete (RCC)*
*in order of increasing durability/erosion resistance

Generally does not alter project hydraulics

(no upstream or downstream impacts to consider)

RCC Overtopping Protection

RCC Overtopping Protection

Can be covered with sacrificial topsoil and seeded

ACB Overtopping Protection

Non-structural Alternatives

Justify a reduction in the design flood

Incremental Damage Analysis

Purchase downstream hazard area

Dam removal

Incremental Damage Analysis

Show that flooding from a dam failure is
not significantly greater than without
failure for extreme floods
Allowed in 2012 regulations
Most applicable where reservoir storage
is relatively small compared to the
drainage area

Incremental Damage Analysis

Increasing spillway capacity can change
the results
May provide only an interim solution if
downstream development occurs

Purchase of the Hazard Zone

Not commonly feasible, but is worth
consideration in some circumstances
Use to reduce hazard classification
and/or the SDF (cost trade-off)
Generally requires a limited hazard
area footprint or limited downstream
development potential

Dam Removal

Tough pill to swallow, but may be a reality

($)

Owner should carefully consider the long

term impacts of removal (Once its gone,
its not coming back)

Things to Consider
Site Hydrology and Hydraulics
Downstream sensitivity to flooding
Existing Spillway Capacity
Other Deficiencies

Site Hydrology and Hydraulics

Lake Size vs.

Watershed Area

Affects:

Selection of
Upgrading Alternative

Inflow

Breach
Flow

Site Hydrology and Hydraulics

Lets assume:

Design flood inflow peak = 8,000 cfs

Design flood outflow peak = 6,000 cfs
Existing spillway capacity = 2,000 cfs
Therefore:
Tripling the spillway length increases the
spillway capacity to 6,000 cfs, meeting the
requirement.

Site Hydrology and Hydraulics

Not necessarily so!

By greatly increasing the spillway capacity,
reservoir attenuation can be reduced. If the
reservoir attenuates the flood, the spillway
will need to pass even more flow to safely
pass the design flood.
The good news is that the outflow peak
wont exceed the inflow peak.*

*unless its a gated spillway

Downstream Sensitivity to
Flooding
Liability considerations for the previous
example:

Increasing spillway capacity, might improve dam

safety;
However, may increase flooding downstream

Existing Spillway Capacity

Almost there (>70% of SDF)

Raising may work
Auxiliary Spillway may help
Spillway expansion may not be $$$$

Severely undersized (<50% of SDF)

OT Protection likely
Significant structural rehab may be needed
Look closely at reducing the SDF

Other Dam Deficiencies

(Seepage, Stability, etc.)

Cost of Spillway upgrade may be small

compared to cost to remedy seepage
and embankment stability concerns

Spillway expansion method may

incorporate stabilization or seepage
control measures (ex. RCC armoring)

Embankment Armoring

Stabilizing
Force
Embankment
Drainage

Vegetated Auxiliary Spillway

Auxiliary Spillway Stability and Integrity

Maintenance costs can be very high

If reservoir is lost, dam is useless

A breach can kill people or destroy property

Headcutting Erosion of Auxiliary

Spillway, Snake Creek Dam, GA

White Oak Dam

Lake Barton Dam

Lake Barton Auxiliary Spillway Outlet

Lake Barton Dam Secant & Concrete

Cutoff Walls

Secant Wall

Summary Conclusions

There are no summary conclusions

Every site is different and every

application is different: there are no
easy solutions

Questions?