Specialised Sediment Management for Critical Infrastructure
Improving Irrigation and Hydropower through Expert Consultancy and Quantitative Modelling.
Effective water intake design requires more than the fluid hydraulics; it requires a deep understanding of sediment transport processes. With over 40 years of experience, including seminal research at HR Wallingford, Edmund Atkinson provides the specialised expertise and proprietary tools needed to sustain infrastructure and reduce long-term maintenance costs.
Expertise & Quantitative Tools
Selecting the right sediment management measure is a complex challenge. Site conditions dictate feasibility, and quantitative methods are essential to guarantee performance.
The SHARC Software
Edmund was central to the technical development of the SHARC software during his tenure at HR Wallingford. This industry-standard tool enables:
-
Quantitative design of exclusion and extraction systems.
-
Performance prediction for settling areas and flushing cycles.
Click HERE for more information about SHARC software.
Field-Proven Methodology
-
Measurement Programs: Reliable design starts with accurate river sediment data. Edmund specialises in setting up measurement programs in developing countries using pump sampling—the most reliable method for capturing true sediment profiles. Such data was employed to verify the components in SHARC.
-
Reservoir Management: Our expertise extends to the strategic operation of reservoirs to maximise their functional life and ensure sediment settles away from critical power intakes. Edmund has assessed the feasibility of flushing reservoirs to clear sediments and prevent long term build up.
Numerical Modelling
-
Model development: Edmund has long experience in developing and running numerical models in the field of hydraulics and sediment transport.
-
CFD: Edmund has applied the PHOENICS CFD code to model sediment exclusion at intakes in 3D.
Extensive desilting operations in the Rice Canal, Pakistan
A pumped sample, Khanabad Barrage, Afghanistan
Global Project Footprint
Edmund has provided specialist consultancy, numerical modelling, and technical training for projects across four continents, including:
The Sediment Problem
Sedimentation is not just a maintenance burden; it can be a threat to the economic viability of water infrastructure.
-
Irrigation Networks: River intakes typically feed canals with gentler slopes and lower discharges. When sediment concentrations exceed transport capacity, the canals silt up, reducing supply to farmers and necessitating expensive, recurring desilting work.
-
Hydropower Reliability: Beyond sedimentation at the intake, tunnels and tailrace, abrasive particles cause severe turbine damage, leading to significant downtime and costly mechanical repairs.
-
Water Supply: prevention of sediment ingress is lower cost than its removal.
-
Storage & Intake Security: Reservoir sedimentation rapidly depletes storage capacity, while localised deposition can lead to total intake blockage.
Strategic Solutions
Engineers have a diverse toolkit for managing sediment, and success lies in selecting the correct measure for the specific grain sizes and site conditions.
-
Exclusion & Extraction: We assess and design methods that ensure near-bed river flow (where sediment concentration is highest) passes downstream of the intake, and we design sediment extractors for canal headreaches.
-
Settling & Flushing: We design settling areas optimized for periodic flushing or mechanical excavation. This approach is especially suitable for finer sediments.
-
Balancing and Regime: Sediment can be a resource to be managed rather than a problem to be eliminated. We can ensure sand-bed canals receive the input necessary to remain in regime, and that agricultural soils receive the beneficial silts and clay.
-
Operational Control: We provide guidance on intake closures during peak sediment loads.
South & East Asia:
Pakistan, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines.
Africa & Middle East:
Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Europe & Americas:
UK, Ireland, Albania, and Colombia.
Click HERE to discuss your project requirements.
.jpg)
Sukkur Barrage, Pakistan