Analysis of discharge measurements on King Abdullah Canal
Date
2007-06
Authors
Sanfilippo, Franck, author
Grawitz, Bruno, author
Dubreuil, Thomas, author
Sau, Jacques, author
U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
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.
Description
Presented at SCADA and related technologies for irrigation district modernization, II: a USCID water management conference held on June 6-9, 2007 in Denver, Colorado.