Structural tools for water resource development

This section discusses the common structural options available to the Water Resources Engineer to development the water potential of the region to its best possible extent.

Dams

These are detention structures for storing water of streams and rivers. The water stored in the reservoir created behind the dam may be used gradually, depending on demand.

Barrages

These are diversion structures which help to divert a portion of the stream and river for meeting demands for irrigation or hydropower. They also help to increase the level of the water slightly which may be advantageous from the point of view of increasing navigability or to provide a pond from where water may be drawn to meet domestic or industrial water demand.

Canals/Tunnels

These are conveyance structures for transporting water over long distances for irrigation or hydropower.

These structural options are used to utilise surface water to its maximum possible extent. Other structures for utilising ground water include rainwater detentions tanks, wells and tube wells.

Another option that is important for any water resource project is Watershed Management practices. Through these measures, the water falling within the catchment area is not allowed to move quickly to drain into the rivers and streams. This helps the rain water to saturate the soil and increase the ground water reserve. Moreover, these measures reduce the amount of erosion taking place on the hill slopes and thus helps in increasing the effective lives of reservoirs which otherwise would have been silted up quickly due to the deposition of the eroded materials.