Spillways

A spillway is a rectangular concrete channel connecting upstream to

downstream over which the water flows at a supercritical velocity. It is used to
release the excess water in the reservoir over the dam in a safe manner.
The choice of designs depends on: nature of the site, the type of dam
and the overall economics of the scheme. Types include:
(1) Over fall and “Ogee” spillways: the most widely adopted: may be used on
masonry or concrete dams which have sufficient crest length to obtain the
required discharge;
(2) Chute and tunnel (shaft) spillways: often used on earthfill dams;
(3) Side channel and tunnel spillways: for dams sited in narrow gorges;
(4) Siphon spillways: maintain an almost constant headwater level over the
designed range of discharge
 Ogee Crest Spillways
Folsom Dam, California

Ogee Crest – Concrete Chief Joseph Dam, Columbia River, WA

 Regulated Crest –
Tainter Gate

Chief Joseph Dam

Columbia River, WA

Spillways - Regulated
Vertical Lift Gates Eildon Dam, Australia
Thomas, Henry H.
The Engineering of Large Dams
 Ogee Crest – Masonry

Boonton Dam, Parsippany Troy Hills, NJ 120 feet high

Side Channel Spillway

Union City Dam, PA
Chute Spillway Stepped Spillway

Good energy dissipation

Good aeration
 Discharge Formula for the Ogee Spillway
• Is widely used with concrete, masonary, arch and buttress dams
• Such a spillway can be easily used on valley where the width of the river is
sufficient to provide the required crest length
• An Ogee spillway is mostly suitable for concrete gravity dams especially when
the spillway is located within the dam body in the same valley
The discharge passing over the Ogee spillway is given by the Eq.

Where Q = Discharge
Q  C  Le  H D3/ 2

Le = Effective length of the spillway crest “width of the spillway”

C = Coefficient of discharge (1.6 – 2.3)

HD = Total head over the crest including the velocity head = the designed energy head
Va2
H D  hp 
2g
Le = L – 2[Kp*N + Ka] HD
Where
L = The net clear length of the spillway crest
Kp = Pier Contraction Coefficient
Ka = Abutment Contraction Coefficient
N = Number of Piers
Hd = Total design head on the crest
 Hydraulic Design of Ogee Spillway
Example: Design ogee spillway with the following data:
• Height of spillway crest from the river bed 100 m
• No. of spans 5
• Length of each span (clear) 12.5 m
• Thickness of each pier 3 m
• Downstream slope of spillway glacis 0.8 horiz to 1 vert.
• Tail water curve is below y2 curve
• Rock conditions good
• Discharge (design) 8500 m3/sec
A. Head over crest and coefficient of discharge
Clear waterway = 5 x 12.5 = 62.50 m
Let us assume a coefficient of discharge 2.1, hence
Q = CL H3/2 = 2.1 x 62.5 x H3/2
or 8500 = 131 H3/2
or H3/2 = 64.9
H = 16.2 m.
The maximum coefficient of discharge is 2.21, if not affected by other hydraulic
parameters like submergence, velocity of approach etc. To get correct value of Cd, the
effects of different parameters have to be worked out.

(i) Effect of approach depth

P = height of spillway from river bed = 100 m
P/H = 100/16.2 = 6.2
As this is more than 4.0, there is no effect of approach depth and coefficient of
discharge may be taken as 2.21.
(ii) Effect of head due to velocity of approach
Velocity of approach = 8500/(62.5 +4x3)(100 + 16.2) = = 0.98 metre/sec

Head due to velocity of approach = 0.982/2x9.81= 0.049 m

This is very small and is neglected.

(iii) Effect of tail water conditions

In this case P + hd = 100 + 16.2 = 116.2 m
and Hd = 16.2 m
(P+Hd)/Hd = 116.2/16.2 = 7.25
This is more than 1.7; the discharge coefficient is not affected by tail water
conditions.
Effective Length of Spillway
Due to piers and abutments, there will be reduction in the discharging length or
effective length will be less than the actual length due to end contractions.
Cut water (90/ nosed piers are proposed to be used and also rounded
abutments. The values of Kp = 0.01 and Ka = 0.1. Hence effective length of
spillway will be

Le = L - 2 (N.Kp + Ka) Hd
= 62.5 - 2 (4 x 0.01 + 0.1) Hd
= 62.5 - 0.28 Hd
Since the effective length is less than net clear span of the spillway, a design
head equal to 16.5 m is assumed. Hence

Le = 62.5 - 0.28 x 16.5 = 62.5 - 4.62 = 57.88 m

Hence Q = 2.21 x 57.88 x 16.53/2
= 128.0 x 67 = 8570 cumec > 8500 cumec
Hence alright , the crest profile will be designed for Hd = 16.5 m
Downstream Profile
The profile recommended by Waterways Experiment Station Vicksburg Mississippi U.S.A of
U.S. Army is
x1.85  2  H D0.85  y
x1.85 x1.85
y 
2 H D0.85 21.6
Tangent Point Coordinates
The slope of the downstream glacis = 0.8 horizontal to 1 vertical. Hence dy/dx = (1.0/0.8) =
1.25.
Differentiating equation of the downstream profile.
Dy/dx = 1.85X0.85 /21.6 = 1.25
X = 23.5 m and y = 15.73 m
Example 2: An overflow spillway with u/s face vertical is to be designed for a flood of 10000 m3/sec.
The level of the spillway crest is at 525.00 m and the river bed level is at 465.00 m. The total length of the
spillway including piers is 122 m, and there are 7 piers, each 1 m wide. Determine the total head over
the crest. Check only the effects of head due to velocity of approach and the effect length of spillway.
Take C = 2.18 and Ka = 0.0 0 & Kp = 0.01.

A. Head over crest and coefficient of discharge

Clear waterway = 122 – 7(1) = 115 m
The coefficient of discharge is 2.18, hence
Q = CL H3/2 = 2.18 x 115 x H3/2
or 10000 = 250.7 H3/2
or H3/2 = 39.89 H = 11.67 m.
Effect of head due to velocity of approach
Velocity of approach = 10000/(122)(60 + 11.67) = 1.14 metre/sec
Head due to velocity of approach = 1.142/(2x9.81)= 0.066 m
Ha = 0.066 (This is very small and is neglected).
H e = H d + Ha  He (effective head)= Hd = 11.67

Effective Length of Spillway

Due to piers and abutments, there will be reduction in the discharging length or effective length will be
less than the actual length due to end contractions. Hence effective length of spillway will be:
Leff = Lnet - 2 (N.Kp + Ka) Hd
= 115 - 2 (7 x 0.01 + 0.00) Hd
= 115 - 0.14 Hd
Since the effective length is less than net clear span of the spillway, a design head equal to 11.9 m is
assumed. Hence Le = 115 - 0.14 x 11.9 = 113.334m
Hence Q = 2.18 x 113.334 x 11.93/2 = 10142.3 cumec Q = 10142.3 cumec > 10000 cumec
It is alright, The crest profile will be designed for Hd = 11.9 m
OR 10000 = 2.18 x 113.334 x Hd3/2 Then HD = 11.79 m
•Example 3: An ogee spillway is to be designed for an embankment dam. A bridge is to
span the crest and will be set on five piers (4 ft of each pier thickness), but the span
between any two piers=30 ft . The distance from the spillway crest to the bottom of the
approach channel is 15 ft. The outflow for the probable maximum flood is 20000 ft3/s.
•What is the design head above the crest
•Determine the crest elevation if the upstream water surface elevation is 600 ft
Assume Cd=4.03. Neglect the effect of the contraction due to the piers and abutments. Take
Gravity acceleration (g) =32.2 ft/s2
Q  CLH a1.5
5 piers and 6 spans
So, the net width = 30 x6 = 180 ft
Where Ha = Hd + (V2a/2g)
20000 = 4.03 x 180 x (Ha)3/2
Ha=9.13 ft
Effect of head due to velocity of approach
Velocity of approach = 20000/(180 +5x4)(15 + 9.13) = 4.144 ft/sec
Head due to velocity of approach = 4.1442/(2x32.2)= 0.27 ft

Hd = 9.13-0.27=8.86 ft.

The crest elevation = 600-8.86=591.14 ft