Results of a numerical study of currents in the vicinity of a damless water intake

Abstract

The problem of sustainable water intake in the conditions of significant fluctuations of flow rates and water level is significantly exacerbated by erosion of river beds. A typical example of such conditions is the damless water intake into the Karshi Main Canal (KMC) where the main flow of the Amudarya river continuously moves along a wide floodplain, changing the direction of currents. As a result, it is very difficult to withdraw the required volume of water from the river to the canal especially during dry years due to the high instability of currents at the entrance to the canal.

Within the framework of the performed numerical studies, the conditions of flow spreading (vectors of depth-average velocities) were studied in the specific time intervals and crossings in the water intake area. The results of the study confirmed that without special engineering measures it is practically impossible to assure stable water diversion into the canal. As a preliminary solution of the problem, it was proposed to make a trench along the right bank in the area of water intake into the canal.