To help Pakistan improve resilience to floods and the reliability, safety, and management of the Sindh barrages, the World Bank recently approved over US$70million in financing.
“The catastrophic floods that hit Pakistan in 2022 were a tragic reminder of the importance to build resilience to such disasters, including strengthening barrages and their management,” says Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan.
The financing will support the full completion and commissioning of the Guddu and Sukkur barrages rehabilitation works and improve the management of three barrages in Sindh including Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri. Having safe and effective barrages to convey flood waters downstream is a crucial part of building climate resilience in the region. The project will increase the resilience of the canal systems that are fed from these barrages, reducing the adverse impacts of extreme floods and drought events.
It will also contribute to strengthening the provincial Barrage Management Unit’s technical capacities, promoting women’s participation in emergency preparedness, and implementing extensive citizen engagement and stakeholder participation.
Glen Canyon concern
With some describing it as the most urgent water problem for the Colorado River, speculation and concern has grown in recent months over the condition of infrastructure at the Glen Canyon Dam. In addition, should levels at Lake Powell continue to decline, there is concern about its ability to deliver water to the 40 million people who rely on it.
A memo from the US Bureau of Reclamation in March is reported to have suggested the outlet works at the US’ second largest reservoir aren’t as reliable as previously thought. To help address the issues, President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda has announced it would spend more than $520 million to revitalise ageing water delivery systems across the western US.
Glen Canyon Outlet Works in Arizona is among the 57 projects to be targeted. Just under US$9million will be used to recoat the dam’s outlet works, which consists of four steel pipes with cast iron bellmouth intakes, hollow-jet valves for regulation, and ring-follower gates for dewatering or emergency closure, to ensure capability to meet downstream water commitments.
Championing safety
Meanwhile, over at the Sir Adam Beck I hydro facility on the Niagara Falls, a new tailrace deck is nearing completion in Canada. Wider and higher than the original structure, it spans the lower façade of the powerhouse just above the water and will help facilitate maintenance work, providing more space and an essential runway for workers to maintain the 446MW station’s ten units.
“This new tailrace deck will give our workers much more space and manoeuvrability to access and isolate Sir Adam Beck I’s units during maintenance outages,” said Andre Friedmann, a Project Leader with OPG. “In the end, this new structure will be safer, more functional, and last for many more decades.”
OPG, which operates 66 hydroelectric stations and 239 control dams on 24 Ontario River systems, has also introduced its newest safety champion called Bobbi the Buoy. Over the coming months Bobbi will be seen in videos and print ads, sharing season-specific water safety tips throughout the year.
Despite continued warnings, OPG says some people still disregard signs and barriers, putting themselves and first responders at risk.
“Bobbi the Buoy serves as a friendly reminder of the serious risks posed by waters around hydroelectric facilities”, said Paul Seguin, the company’s Senior Vice President for Renewable Generation. “While we have a new character delivering it, the message does not change. Please respect barriers and signage, and always stay clear and stay safe around our hydro dams and stations.”
Malawi
Meanwhile, in Malawi, the Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) has recently engaged SMEC to develop the Lunyangwa Dam Safety Management Plan.
Constructed in 1992, the dam is the primary water source for Mzuzu City, with the catchment population projected to double to 500,000 by 2030. In response to escalating water demand, NRWB plans to augment water storage by increasing the embankment and elevating the spillway height by 1.5m, expanding the reservoir from 4.36Mm³ to 5.54 Mm³.
Deploying dam safety experts, SMEC says it will formulate a comprehensive Dam Safety Management Plan aligned with Malawi’s Dams Safety Act and ICOLD guidelines. Recognising the importance of knowledge transfer, SMEC will also develop a training programme to enhance the skills of NRWB staff.
The project is scheduled for completion this year.
