Integrated Sediment Management in Reservoirs Short general project overviewThe pilot project is related to reservoir sedimentation issues in India. With almost 5,000 large and several thousand smaller dams and reservoirs in India the impact of reservoir siltation is significant. The current state of affairs leads to the fact that there is a need for a major shift towards the concept of integrated sediment management considering collective benefits, sustainability and safety. The consortium of Dutch companies Royal IHC, Deltares and NETICS have all the in-house knowledge to develop an integrated approach on circular sediment management in reservoirs and aims to provide this solution through a pilot project in one of the reservoirs, namely Dakpathar barrage, owned by our local Stakeholder for this project: Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL), which is a wholly owned Corporation of the Government of Uttarakhand set up for managing numerous hydropower dams within the region.ObjectiveThe objective of this pilot project is to develop an integrated approach on circular sediment management in reservoirs, which includes modelling and analysis of morphological behaviour in the reservoir (as a non-structural measure), environmentally friendly sediment handling techniques (recurrent interventions) as well as innovative techniques and their applications on re-using sediments. The approach will also include analysis on catchment treatment and a long-term monitoring plan. The project will eventually lead to real-world demonstration of these innovative approach and technologies.The proposed pilot project aims at providing a comprehensive solution with a circular management plan where the supply of sediment from the reservoirs will be coupled with the social and environmental impacts and the local demand to reuse it.The pilot project will have the following added values:1. Improving the understanding on reservoir sedimentation processes and their proper quantification including application of cutting edge modelling tools and knowledge, being developed at Deltares.2. Improving the understanding on severity of sedimentation issues in existing multi-functional reservoirs, which in the current state cannot be addressed by using conventional methods like only flushing due to technical and environmental problems.3. Applicability and evaluation of innovative and environmental friendly dredging equipment, developed by Royal IHC, will be employed for dredging (and sediment relocation) in the reservoir to rehabilitate it for further effective use to fulfil the energy and water demand.4. Consideration of downstream transport of removed material in a controlled manner to ensure the river environment, downstream bed and bank stability considering downstream reservoirs.5. Investigating the options for reusing the disposed sediments, developed by NETICS, as per circular management plan to increase the effectiveness of sediment management.6. Eventually enhancing the cooperation between the consortium partners and local stakeholders, not only at technical level but also for the purpose of joint business development in India in the future as well.During the pilot, we will be in close contact/communication with the UJVNL and other related local authorities and stakeholders. We will adapt to achieve minimal disturbance of the regular dam operations and environmental issues. This includes workability during peak times, monsoon- and dry seasons, working depths, collaboration on operational aspects to improve workability and so on. We aim to achieve optimum results in close collaboration with the local stakeholders and authorities.Initial activities and results of the projectSummary of activities are:- Local site and sediment surveys to get insight into the systems behaviour and the specific characteristics and therewith map the possibilities for dredging and re-use of sediment;- Investigating flow and sedimentation processes by using hydrologic, hydraulic and bathymetric data including sediment dynamics;- Developing a morphological model of the reservoir using a state-of-the-art modelling approach, namely Delft3D Morphology and/or Delft3D-Flexible Mesh coupled with a Feedback Control tool (to date, one of the most advanced tools in the world);- Simulating and analysing the hydrodynamic and morphological processes in the reservoir under existing scenario including reservoir operation;- Simulating various scenarios of sediment removal by dredging to identify the effective approach and associated impacts;- Simulating the ecological and morphological effect of partially transporting the nutritious sediment further downstream;- Carrying out sediment removal and relocation by the use of sustainable and environmental friendly dredging equipment;- Investigating and mapping the options of reusing the removed material by dewatering with geotextile tubes and their usability in a constructive or non-constructive way, based on local demands;- Simulating the effectiveness of using geotextile tubes filled with sediment as guiding baffles, flow deflectors or sediment traps in the reservoir and their hydraulic and morphological impacts considering reservoir operations;- Assessing the possibility of using geotextile tubes for bed and bank protection in upstream and downstream reaches of the rivers with erosion problem;- Investigating several storage and dewatering options by using geotextile tubes;- Dewatering of the dredged material in geotextile tubes and re-use of the sediment based on other local demand and opportunities;- Creating a marketing package to disseminate the comprehensive circular management plan to the local and international (inland) dredging sector and dam owners - Use the marketing package to show both contractors and dam owners how to procure and execute future reservoir sediment management projects (making use of knowledge-based non-structural approach, recurrent measures including sediment reuse);- Developing a long-term strategic plan to establish and maintain the safety and operational aspects of the dams and reservoirs.With this pilot project the consortium will develop an integrated approach on circular sediment management in reservoirs, which includes extensive modelling and analysis and then demonstrate through real-world implementation of the innovative approach and technologies. Based on the experience gained through this pilot a long-term strategic plan will be developed to establish and maintain the safety and operational aspects of the dams and reservoirs.This pilot project will among other result in an integrated sediment management plan and a marketing package in which we demonstrate the feasibility of this plan. With the results we will be able to convince local (and worldwide) potential clients that the integrated sediment management plan is applicable for every dam and will benefit substantially after commissioning the plan.