Testing silt management methods at Trevallyn Dam
Hydro Tasmania, in conjunction with the Tasmanian Government and Launceston Flood Authority, is trialing the effectiveness of a controlled release of water from Trevallyn Dam coordinated with silt raking operations on the removal of silt from the Tamar estuary.
The Tamar flood levee protection scheme is designed to prevent flooding of the low-lying areas of Launceston if there is a significant flood event. A build-up of sediment has an adverse impact on the effectiveness of this scheme. The levees were recently upgraded at a cost of $58 million.
The three-day trial water release was undertaken by Hydro Tasmania to coordinate with the strongest tide events. LFA coordinated silt raking operations during the water release. Bathymetric surveys were carried out before and after the trial water release to measure the extent of sediment removed.
The cost and economic benefits of providing water from hydro generation infrastructure to support silt raking operations in years with low natural inflows and few flood events are being assessed. Trevallyn Dam impounds water for a 95.8 MW powerhouse.
Silt raking has taken place in the Tamar estuary previously, such as in 2014, when rainfall was low and there were no significant spill events over Trevallyn Dam. The raking campaign removed 100,000 m3 of sediment, which is not considered sufficient to maintain the ongoing efficacy of the flood levees.
Learn the hydro industry FAQs at HydroWorld.com
The HydroWorld.com editors have compiled a pretty extensive list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers. Most recently, we added information on all the non-profit associations and groups that relate to the hydroelectric power industry in some capacity.
This new information includes:
– The association/organization’s name
– A contact person (if available) and their job title
– Location (city, state, zip and country)
– Telephone number
– Email address
– Website URL
Our goal in providing this data is to keep you up to date on resources that can help you do your job better, more efficiently and more effectively. If you want to contact an association in Brazil or find an expert on concrete repair, this page will help.
We intend to keep our FAQ page updated. So send your question to [email protected] and we’ll answer it on that page.
Canada to decarbonize its energy systems with plans that include hydro
Canada needs to produce twice as much renewable electricity compared to current amounts. The increase in renewable energy is a key finding in “Powering Climate Prosperity: Canada’s Renewable Electricity Advantage,” a report released in November by the Canadian Council on Renewable Electricity.
The report outlines Canada’s current renewable electricity production and explores how the nation can dramatically reduce carbon emissions by 2050. It argues three significant changes to Canada’s energy production and consumption are required by 2050 if the country does its part to prevent average global temperatures from rising to dangerous levels. Specifically, the needs are:
– Intensify efforts to cut energy waste across the economy;
– More than double renewable electricity generation capacity; and
– Increase use of electricity as the “clean fuel of choice” to power the economy.
The report draws on data and modeling conducted by the Low Carbon Pathways group at Carbon Management Canada and published September 2014 in “Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in Canada.”
The report was released in conjunction with the release of the 16-country report in Paris, France, by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations.
The report is available at http://bit.ly/1Ohghcv.
Book offers updated hydro wheel information for owners & operators
The third edition of Hydro Wheels: A Guide to Maintaining and Improving Hydro Units provides practical, effective information to help project operators diagnose and remedy common hydro wheel problems.
Authored by 30-year hydropower industry veteran Thomas Spicher, the expanded version of Hydro Wheels adds a chapter titled “New and Upgraded Hydro Turbines.” This new material provides guidance in establishing long-term, highly-reliable service from turbine units through procurement and specification improvements.
This book is available for purchase from PennWellBooks.com.
Briefly…
The IGTC Powerplant Technical Forums site has achieved 3,100 members. The site has been online since March 2010. Technical Forum topic areas (PowerplantTechicalForum.org) include generators and hydraulic, steam and gas turbines.
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