| Technology & equipment


Guardians of the reservoir


Technological advances in managing sedimentation has been spearheaded by a national competition in the US


THE LIFESPAN OF RESERVOIRS relies on the ability to effectively and continually manage sediment. Sediment accumulation reduces available water storage which affects the ability to meet critical operational objectives along with environmental, cultural and recreational needs. The US Bureau of Reclamation, in collaboration with the US Army Corps of Engineers, launched a competition in July 2020 that sought the development of more cost-effective sediment removal methods for reservoirs. The idea was to spur innovation and the creation of new processes and technologies that collect and/or transport sediment from reservoirs at a rate that sustains their current capacity, while offering technical support and testing opportunities to the most compelling ideas to help stimulate industry interest for potential partnerships to further develop innovative solutions.


“Sedimentation has impacted our reservoirs from the


day they were built,” said Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “The solutions identified through this prize competition provide an option to manage sediment so Reclamation reservoirs can continue to store water as they were designed to do.”


Winner In September 2022, Reclamation selected the team


of D-Sediment and Hülskens Sediments GmbH as the winner of the Guardians of the Reservoir prize competition for their design solution to remove sediment deposits in reservoirs. The team, comprised of Michael Detering, Laura Backes and Joana Kueppers from Germany, developed the Sedimover technology for efficient 24/7 sediment transfer from a reservoir and received US$100,000 in prize money. The core of the developed Sedimover process is an “autonomous dredging” system that picks up and transports sediment in the reservoir in a fully automated way. The sediment taken up is either fed through the turbines in the sense of an ecological sediment passage or directly into the tailwater, so that sediment is again present downstream in near-natural quantities. The developed technology adapts the type and quantity of sediment transfer to the respective discharge of the watercourse, so that the appropriate quantity is transported further by the river depending on the water supply. The operational data is continuously stored in a cloud and makes the process transparent for operators and authorities. Dr. Michael Detering, owner of D-Sediment said:


“The World Commission on Dams estimated that as early as 2050, a quarter of all reservoirs worldwide will no longer be operational and many more will be significantly limited in their function. At the same time,


the need to store water continues to grow. This applies not only to the provision of water, but conversely also to flood control. The sedimentation of reservoirs has another pernicious effect in this context, because downstream of the reservoirs the naturally transported sediment is missing. The affected rivers are eroding, and almost every major river now has a dramatic sediment deficit. The lack of sediment in all grain sizes extends into the oceans, so that even coastal protection is affected. With our process, we are easing this environmental problem, too.” Where transfer to downstream waters is not possible, the sediment can also be conveyed onshore in a controlled manner for further treatment. The Sedimover process is also controllable in this case and can be coupled with sediment transfer and even conventional dredging and further sediment treatment or cleaning technology. Thomas Groß, Managing Director of Hülskens Sediments, said: “It is quite amazing how quietly and evenly the equipment works. And we can scale the technology to almost any size. The automation also makes us much more economical as with conventional dredgers or by using other methods.” The next step for the team is to select partners and


potential investors for further implementation and establish a technical base in the US. In the meantime, technical developments are already continuing. Together with TH Köln University of Applied Sciences in Germany, D-Sediment has set up a process to capture and use methane emissions from reservoirs during sediment transfer. In this way, the sediment solution also compensates for a large part of the climate impact of reservoirs.


Finalists


Two other finalists from the original 77 applicants were also recognised for their accomplishments in the Guardians of the Reservoir competition. Reclamation presented the Versatility Award to the 3D


Dredger Team for their development of their Complete Sediment Management solution - a fully autonomous dredging system designed to handle sediment and larger debris using three dredging attachments. This team consists of inventors Nicholas LaBry and Kenneth LaBry of Prometheus Innovations, and Bartolomeo Mongiardino of Hydro Maintenance Service. Slurry Pulsejet Engine was also presented with the Innovation Award for their development of a new technology to capture, dewater and move sediments in dry or semi-dry form. Baha Abulnaga and David Dibley of Mazdak International in Washington developed this new technology based on minimising water and power consumption. ●


Above: The completion of Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona by the US Bureau of Reclamation in 1963 created Lake Powell. Updated elevation-area-capacity relationships indicate that the lake has lost almost 7% of its storage capacity at full pool since construction was completed through to 2018


Below: Guardians of the Reservoir competition was launched by the US Bureau of Reclamation in collaboration with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Its aim was to identify solutions to sediment management problems to ensure Reclamation’s reservoirs can continue to store water as they were originally designed. Sumner Dam is one of Reclamation’s projects located in the Upper Colorado Basin Region in New Mexico Photo courtesy of US Bureau of Reclamation


www.waterpowermagazine.com | November 2022 | 25


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