Irrigation Water Conveyance and Delivery

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/10217/195480

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 65

Open Access
10 years of supervisory control and data acquisition modernization in northern California (1996 - 2006)
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Perkins, Dennis, author; Styles, Stuart, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP), and the Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, have been working with Reclamation irrigation water contractors and others on district delivery system modernization and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) development for the past 10 years. In 1994, the WCFSP encouraged the ITRC to develop concepts for district modernization to improve water delivery efficiencies. Dr. Charles Burt and the staff at ITRC observed that in many instances, water delivery systems were operated as more of an art than a science. Every canal or pipe system was different and required intricate knowledge and visual observations by the operators to maintain relatively crude levels of flow balance. The development of affordable, non-proprietary automation systems were considered feasible as SCADA applications were becoming common in other industries such as the automotive manufacturing industry. Coupled with mechanical canal level management equipment design improvements over the years, the industry has made large advances in affordable district level water technologies over the last decade.
Open Access
A 2005 update on the installation of a VFD/SCADA system at Sutter Mutual Water Company
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Schantz, Frederick F., author; Styles, Stuart W., author; Howes, Daniel J., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
In 1999 Sutter Mutual Water Company (SMWC) and Cal Poly ITRC began work together with the USBR on a project effort to install a VFD unit and a SCADA system into the Portuguese Bend Pumping Plant, one of SMWC's four pumping plants that convey water from the Sacramento River onto 46,746 acres of farmland in the Sutter County sub-basin. The project was formulated and implemented in order to reduce the high amount of power consumed by the existing 30-year-old equipment, to minimize maintenance and labor costs, and to improve control of the in-stream flows to achieve more efficient use of limited water supplies. After commissioning the equipment, a number of operational problems were encountered. These were resolved once their causes were clearly identified and adequately addressed. Work completed included installing an adequate cooling system for the VFD unit and replacing an air-release valve in place of an outdated siphon breaker that continually adversely affected water flow. Benefits realized from the new technology have included a reduction in power use, cost of labor and maintenance, and a dramatic improvement in the district's ability to control in-stream water flow through the automatic control of motor and pump performance.
Open Access
A suggested criteria for the selection of RTUs and sensors
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Stringam, Blair L., author; Elser, Paul, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Selecting an appropriate Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) and sensors for an automation project can be daunting. There are numerous devices available with varied capabilities and performance. Factory representatives and specifications can be misleading and confusing. Advances in the electronics industry are seeing tremendous changes and subsequently RTUs and sensors are undergoing new developments. Older models are being redesigned and in some cases losing their integrity. Efforts have been made to test various RTUs and sensors, but they have not been exhaustive and these devices will eventually become obsolete. Considering the extensive choices that are available and the changes that are continually occurring, a criteria was developed for selecting these devices for automation projects. While basic performance criteria are important, it was concluded that consulting with individuals who have used these components is the most important.
Open Access
All American Canal monitoring project
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Bradshaw, David, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Imperial Irrigation District (IID) will strategically place four independent sensor setups along the All American Canal (AAC) for better monitoring of flow in the canal. More accurate measurement is needed of flow into the Imperial Valley as well as for the diversions along the AAC upstream of Pilot Knob, and to Mexico at Pilot Knob. Increases in measurement accuracy will allow IID, which operates the AAC, to better account for supply and more efficiently distribute the water in order to manage the canal under the conditions of the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement of 2003 (QSA). This monitoring project is expected to produce the result that three geographic areas (Mexico, Coachella Valley, and Imperial Valley) receive their proper amount of water for agricultural, municipal, and industrial uses; eliminating most delivery discrepancies and expensive overuse paybacks to the river.
Open Access
Analysis of discharge measurements on King Abdullah Canal
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Sanfilippo, Franck, author; Grawitz, Bruno, author; Dubreuil, Thomas, author; Sau, Jacques, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
In Jordan, water requirements are growing sharply, due to population growths, associated to the industrialization and the development of the country. Moreover, water resources are limited and subject to competitive use with neighboring countries. The King Abdullah Canal (KAC) takes mainly the water in the Yarmouk and Zarqa Rivers, supplies the irrigation of 30000 ha and transfers water to Amman for domestic and industrial needs. The KAC main structures are monitored and remotely controlled from a General Control Center through a SCADA system which includes a regulation module providing automatic and permanent control of canal flows as well as safety systems. In canal systems, discharge measurements are fundamental. However, measurement network on hydraulic systems include many sensors spread over a large area, and subject to failure or deviation. In addition discharge and volume measurements in open channel are characterized by large uncertainties. The KAC SCADA system is operational since 7 years, and a large database of measurements on the canal system is available. A review of flow measurements is made, with an analysis of the uncertainties coming from the use of gate laws. The analysis includes a comparison of the results given by different algorithms: Cemagref algorithm implemented in SIC software, USBR gate law, classical free flow and submerged flow orifice law. In the analysis, one of the KAC check gate appears to behave abnormally, with a systematic overestimation of the discharge. Analysis of flow measurements on field have been undertaken, as well as flow estimation based on open channel simulations using SIC software. This complete analysis provides relevant conclusions on the coherence of flow measurements.
Open Access
Automated outlet structure design for Windsor Lake to improve irrigation operations and attenuate flood flows
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Ullmann, Craig, author; Bauer, Kallie, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Windsor Lake (Kern Reservoir) serves as a storage facility, an equalizer reservoir for the Greeley No. 2 Canal, and a regional detention pond for the Windsor Basin. The effect of rapid urbanization surrounding the Town of Windsor created the need of a regional detention pond for a portion of the nearby Law Basin. Windsor Lake is capable of serving this purpose, though several feet of reservoir storage will need to be surrendered. The New Cache La Poudre Irrigating Company, (owners of the Greeley No. 2 Canal), and Kern Reservoir and Ditch Company (owners of Windsor Lake) have agreed to give up the reservoir storage with the stipulation that the outlet structure is replaced with an automated structure to improve reservoir and canal operations for shareholders. Requirements for the new outlet structure are to control and measure irrigation releases up to the decreed flow rate of 600 cfs, and serve as the primary spillway for two different 100-year flood scenarios. The first scenario models the existing conditions in the basins and the second models the future condition in which both basins are assumed to be fully urbanized. In addition, the Dam Safety Branch of the State Engineer's Office requires the structure to pass a flood event equating to 17% of the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF). Furthermore, the structure is required to be capable of functioning during the winter months to measure and control small releases for augmentation purposes. Two alternative designs were evaluated during a feasibility study. Rubicon Flume Gates™, a type of overshot gate, are utilized in the final design to meet the outlet structure requirements. The new structure gives The New Cache La Poudre Irrigating Company (NCLPIC) efficient control over the discharges in their system and reduces the flood potential for downtown Windsor.
Open Access
Automated scheduling of open-channel deliveries: potential and limitations
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Gooch, Robert S., author; Bautista, Eduardo, author; Strand, Robert J., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Irrigation and municipal water delivery systems are under ever-increasing pressure to improve operations. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology is helping delivery organizations improve flexibility of operations, reduce costs, and overcome operational constraints, as it allows operators to remotely monitor and operate check gates to maintain desired water level and/or flow targets at control points. Computerized canal control schemes in combination with the SCADA technology, can further enhance operations by automatically handling scheduled demand changes (feedforward control) and responding to unexpected perturbations (feedback control). Significant progress has been made in recent years in the development of computerized control schemes, but adoption of such technologies is slow, partly because the potential benefits relative to existing manual operational procedures cannot be easily predicted, and partly because control schemes, ultimately, must be configured to the particular needs and constraints of the delivery system. This paper examines the potential application of computerized scheduling on the Salt River Project's (SRP) delivery system. The objective is to evaluate the potential for improved water control compared with current manual operations. We also examine particular constraints faced by SRP operators, how they impact the development of daily operational schedules, and how that would limit the applicability of automated scheduling concepts.
Open Access
Canal modernization in Central California Irrigation District - case study
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Burt, Charles, author; Stoddard, Robert, author; Landon, Russell, author; White, Chris, author; Freeman, Beau, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Central California Irrigation District (CCID) provides water from the Mendota Dam northward approximately 110 miles, through and to its service area of approximately 120,000 irrigated acres. CCID enjoys a substantial advantage of having some of the most senior water rights in California, but is simultaneously challenged by serious (and increasing) water quality restrictions for its return flows into the San Joaquin River. Recent California law recognizes water transfer as a reasonable and beneficial use of water. Therefore, CCID has begun an aggressive program to modernize its canal system with the goal of improving water delivery service and increasing project irrigation efficiency. Funds received from conserved and transferred water are used to expand the modernization program. The net effect is improved water supply to other users and improved water management for the downslope drainage system. This paper will address the district’s motivation for modernization, the development of the modernization plan, challenges encountered, the roles of various players (consulting engineer, district, integrator, contractors, ITRC), and technical details regarding project implementation. Currently, approximately 40% of the initial modernization plan has been implemented, including downstream control, upstream control, and a large regulating reservoir - all automated with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs).
Open Access
Case study on design and construction of a regulating reservoir pumping station
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Khalsa, Ram Dhan, author; Norman, Bob, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The case study is on the recently constructed pumping station on the Government Highline Canal, Grand Valley Project, Grand Junction, Colorado. The pumping station is part of a canal modernization project that includes new canal check structures, local automation, and a SCADA system. The pumping station design and construction process involved four areas: pumps, hydraulic structures, power distribution, and automation. The pump aspect included determining the needed pumping capacity, operational sequencing, pump selection, specifying and purchasing pumps. Hydraulic facilities work included the design of the intake structure, isolation gate, trash rack/fish screen, pump control house, pump discharge piping, and canal delivery structure. Power distribution work included extension of 3 phase power service 1.5 miles, selection of variable frequency drives and soft starts compatible with the power distribution system, connection of power to the pump control house, development of pump control strategy, and implementation of that strategy in the automation system. This pumping station is not necessarily a model for other projects, but rather a documentation of this project's requirements and the lessons learned.
Open Access
Competing interests in water resources - searching for consensus
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1997) Greydanus, Herbert W., editor; Anderson, Susan S., editor; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Open Access
Data considerations for SCADA planning and setup
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Strand, Robert J., author; Clemmens, Albert J., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The setup of a new SCADA system can be a daunting task. In addition to sifting through the myriad of sensors, programmable controllers, communication infrastructures, and SCADA software packages available in today's market, managers have to determine what they are going to monitor or control, what information they need to acquire from the field, what information will be sent out to field sites, the formats used to store and convey that information, and the need to archive select portions of that data for historical purposes. Even if a new implementation is done in phases, some forethought and advance preparation can simplify the process. The recommendations presented are based on experience gained from over 12 years of SCADA implementation associated with canal automation research at the U.S. Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center (ALARC) in Maricopa, AZ.
Open Access
Demonstration of gate control with SCADA system in Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Turan, Burak, author; Fipps, Guy, author; Leigh, Eric, author; Nazarov, Azimjon, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The management of canal operations with centralized control provides a powerful way to monitor the existing conditions at the site, regulate water demands and supplies, while minimizing delays and losses. Three control structures on lateral E3-A of Delta Lake Irrigation District (DLID) in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) in Texas will be automated and integrated with the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system in two Phases. Control of two gate structures, Check 1 and Check 2, at the most upstream of the lateral will be integrated with SCADA system first in Phase 1. The third gate structure, Check 3, at the downstream of Check 2 will be automated in Phase 2 to conduct research on delivering unknown irrigation demands. This system will be utilized as a long-term management and decision support tool for the district. This study focuses on the methodology of integrating the canal automation with the optimal management strategies of turnout structures to meet on-farm delivery demands. The discussion reviews the identification and selection of the SCADA system components for DLID.
Open Access
Description and measurement of uncertainty for state-space model of large cascade canal system
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Guanghua, Guan, author; Changde, Wang, author; Xiaobo, Feng, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Automatic control of canal network is a key solution for modern water-saving irrigation, and it is also a vital technique puzzle of the Middle Routine of the South-to-North water transfer project of China. The design of the controller is based on a liner mathematical model deduced from Saint-Venant Equation system, but the S-V Equations are a system of first order partial differential equations. A state-space model of a cascaded canal system is used in this paper to analyze the uncertainty including the uncertainty of the system itself and the uncertainty introduced in the procedure of mode-building. This uncertainty will be a precondition for the design of a robust controller. Using the liner model as the nominal case, the uncertainty is measured by the largest singular value of the distance matrix of the models. At last a simulation case of six canals is given together with quantificational describe of uncertainty.
Open Access
Design and implementation of an irrigation canal SCADA
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Rijo, Manuel, author; Lanhoso, Adriano, author; Nunes, Miguel, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
In Portugal all of the upstream controlled canal systems work with flexible water delivery schedules and therefore canal operational losses can be significant. Realtime technologies can allow the canal managers to continuously compare the real operation with its optimal or target value and to take appropriate corrective steps as required and minimize the water operational losses. The paper presents the design, field solutions and tuning of an implemented SCADA system on a Portuguese upstream controlled canal. Remote monitoring allows the data acquisition of water levels, gate positions and inflow and outflow computations. Remote control allows the operator to send control orders to gates. Two networks, including their remote terminal units and the needed communication and control software are parts of the presented SCADA system. This system controls the inflows to the main canal and main laterals, as well as the main outlets to the drainage system with gate controlled orifices. All the discharge equations are tuned in the field. The outflows through weirs or Neyrpic automatic siphons from the main laterals are also monitorized and their discharge equations are also tuned in the field.
Open Access
Design and implementation of water accounting database for Riverside Irrigation District
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Walter, Ivan A., author; Marchando, Lori, author; Chapman, Don, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Riverside Irrigation District (RID) provides irrigation water to about 22,474 acres in northeast Colorado. Its primary water supplies, direct flow and reservoir water, are supplemented by District wells and farmer owned wells. The wells' water rights are relatively junior; therefore, without augmentation to replace out of priority depletions, senior water rights could be injured. RID has developed a plan of augmentation for replacement of out-priority depletions. The plan involves the use of accretions from groundwater recharge as the primary source of replacement water with reservoir water as a backup supply. A database has been developed for RID that allows it to manage RID's augmentation plan to ensure that all out-of-priority depletions to the South Platte River are replaced. The database includes tools for accounting of well pumping, recharge diversions, wellhead depletions, net recharge, streamflow depletions and accretions and farm unit crop water use. An extensive reporting section of the database allows RID to meet its reporting requirement to Colorado's State Engineer and to plan participants.
Open Access
Eastern Irrigation District canal automation and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Hust, Ron, author; Veldman, Gerald, author; West, Greg, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Eastern Irrigation District (EID), located in southern Alberta, Canada, is a farmer owned entity that delivers water to 300,000 acres (121,500 ha) of irrigation and encompasses a total area of 1.5 million acres (607,000 ha). EID implemented automated level control on major water control structures in its system. The first controllers used were industrial-rated computers. The technology now employed has evolved with the industry and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) have replaced the computers for control functions. The SCADA system was developed with Wonderware's Intouch graphical user interface. This interface is used to extract data from the PLC's and display it graphically as well as provide central trending and call out alarms. Operators can connect to the system via the Internet using a password protected remote control program, or call in using a touch-tone phone and retrieve the latest flow and level data. The EID recognized the need to provide Internet access to the local area, and therefore started operating as an affordable Internet Service Provider (ISP) to district water users. Being an ISP allowed the EID to provide a unique communications backbone for their SCADA system. Recently the EID has teamed up with a wireless Internet provider (IP Plus Wireless Corp.). Existing control structures are in the process of being upgraded to take advantage of this infrastructure to allow secure, cost effective, collection of data and structure monitoring.
Open Access
Effective implementation of algorithm theory into PLCs
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Piao, Xianshu, author; Burt, Charles, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
A major constraint for implementation of automated canal control is the complicated, tedious, and potentially error-ridden task of programming the control algorithm and associated overhead into PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers). A typical control program may easily occupy 100 pages of Ladder logic that must be painstakingly developed and programmed. The most common argument in favor of Ladder logic - that local electricians can get into the program and modify it if needed - is flawed because (1) local electricians do not understand the logic, and (2) Ladder cannot easily perform many mathematical tasks that are simple in other programming languages. In addition, the Ladder programmed on one brand of PLC is not directly programmable onto another brand because each brand has its own variation of the Ladder language. ITRC's approach to canal automation simulation includes building a model with an excellent hydraulic simulation program, characterizing each pool for storage and resonance, Matlab optimization of the control logic's parameters based on hydraulic properties, and writing the logic in ISaGRAF. These services cannot be performed by integrators, who rarely, if ever, understand the theory behind modern canal control. This has been misunderstood by districts when planning their long-term canal automation strategy, putting at stake large investments into the controller and software programming.
Open Access
Emerging challenges and opportunities for irrigation managers: energy, efficiency and infrastructure
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011-04) Skaggs, Rhonda, editor; Anderson, Susan S., editor; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Open Access
Impact of streamflow variability on the Colorado River system operation
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-05) Keedy, Julia A., author; Salas, J. D. (Jose D.), author; Fontane, Darrell G., author; Merritt, David H., author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisher
The water supply provided by the Colorado River system is critical to millions of residents in the arid and semiarid western United States. Understanding the response of the system to possible hydrologic occurrences is important to water planners and managers for short, medium, and long term planning and operation of the system. A long sequence of historical streamflow records is available for the river system; however, this sequence is not sufficient to capture the complex temporal and spatial variability of the river system. The overall objective of the study is to determine the effect of alternative possible future hydrologic scenarios on water supply availability throughout the entire river system. Another objective is to estimate the sustainable yield of the Upper Colorado River basin. This study demonstrates that the traditional definition of the Upper Basin's sustainable yield must be reevaluated in order to determine any sort of sustainable yield volume under stochastic simulation.
Open Access
Implementation and use of SCADA for the southern water supply project
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Brouwer, Carl, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD) provides approximately 210,000 acre-ft of raw water to much of Northeastern Colorado via the United States Bureau of Reclamation Colorado - Big Thompson Project (CBT). Deliveries through C-BT began in the 1950's and were predominately for irrigation. However, over time as the Colorado front range has developed, the portion of water delivered to the municipal and industrial (M&I) sector has increased substantially. As this shift from agricultural deliveries to M&I has occurred, pipelines have been added by NCWCD to the original canal system to provide for more flexible and reliable year-round deliveries. In the mid-1990's, NCWCD began the construction of the Southern Water Supply Project (SWSP). The SWSP consists of 110 miles of pipeline connecting numerous municipal water providers in the southern and eastern portions of NCWCD to the St. Vrain Canal at Carter Lake Reservoir. In addition to the pipelines, three booster pump stations have been added to the system to increase the system delivery capacity. In total, the SWSP has the delivery capability of 110 cubic feet per second. The implementation of the SWSP necessitated the installation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system throughout the new system. The delivery system contains seven flow control structures, three pump stations, and several intermediate valve and metering structures along with the operation of the Carter Lake Reservoir outlet works. This highly reliable system utilizes a distributed control system. Local control functions such as delivery control are made via programmable logic controllers (PLCs) at each individual site. These sites communicate via radio system to NCWCD where overall system control and water orders are made. This system acts to primarily make desired water deliveries. However, fail-safe features area also integrated to provide integrity to the pipeline in the event of system outages or pipeline failure. This paper will provide information on the planning and implementation of the SCADA system as well as lessons that have been learned through both the implementation and continued operation of the system.