Crisis at the Dams

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
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I didn't see this in DR1 news, but this article came over the transom and alarmed me. With a rapidly growing population, nothing is more important that solid water access, especially to population centers.

Sediment chokes icon Dominican dam, agency warns

The Regional Development Council (CRD) technical department on Monday listed the problems and potential solutions for the country's hydroelectric dams based on several studies.

At the top of the CRD list is Tavera dam, built at a cost of over US$45 million in 1973, which supplies 96 megawatts of energy, irrigates 9,100 hectares of farmlands and supplies the main aqueducts in the Cibao region.

"After more than 40 years since built, the population which depends on the dam asks: What's happening?, Is it that the dam is empty?"

The CRD responds that the dam is not empty, "it's full, but with sediment, rubble, tree trunks, garbage and much more."

The CRD warns that the problem is such that the 63 meters of the dam's water surface at 80 meters above sea level is now totally sedimented, leaving just 17 meters to store water.

"The reason is that even if it rains in the river basin, it doesn't accumulate the amount of water that the dam was designed to store."

Technical criteria CRD conclude that it has that affected the Taveras dam, is the same as the other dams in the country, the absence of adequate reforestation of their sockets.

"After the four decades elapsed since 1973, deforestation in all watersheds has expanded and the expected consequences have been: reduced river flows that feed the dams, accelerated soil erosion and rivers swelling in rainy weather are becoming more intense and cause more flooding and shorten the dams' lifespan, the CRD warns, adding: Deforestation in the country is very damaging.

So Tavaras, at max, hold less than 25% of its design capacity because of sediment? That is a very frightening number, and speaks to why the last dry season was so bad in the Cibao.

And low water means seriously degraded peak hydro power production.

This needs to be addressed NOW. Yesterday. Get the money and make it happen ASAP. Problem is that such projects have to be done in the dry season because getting large dredging equipment to those areas is a problem.

Alida says the gubmint has solicited bids for dredging and the projects would take 2-3 years. This should have been started years ago.

A side benefit of remediation of the dam reserve areas is the availability of a huge amount of decent soil that can be used in areas to supplement poor soil for agriculture.
 

wuarhat

I am a out of touch hippie.
Nov 13, 2006
1,378
89
48
I didn't see this in DR1 news, but this article came over the transom and alarmed me. With a rapidly growing population, nothing is more important that solid water access, especially to population centers.

Sediment chokes icon Dominican dam, agency warns

The CRD warns that the problem is such that the 63 meters of the dam's water surface at 80 meters above sea level is now totally sedimented, leaving just 17 meters to store water..

So Tavaras, at max, hold less than 25% of its design capacity because of sediment? That is a very frightening number, and speaks to why the last dry season was so bad in the Cibao.

And low water means seriously degraded peak hydro power production.

This needs to be addressed NOW. Yesterday. Get the money and make it happen ASAP. Problem is that such projects have to be done in the dry season because getting large dredging equipment to those areas is a problem.

Alida says the gubmint has solicited bids for dredging and the projects would take 2-3 years. This should have been started years ago.

A side benefit of remediation of the dam reserve areas is the availability of a huge amount of decent soil that can be used in areas to supplement poor soil for agriculture.

The reference to sea level is confusing me, but it sounds like they are saying that the bottom 63 meters of its original 80 meter depth at capacity is full of muck. Generally the cross sectional area is much larger at the surface so the capacity now is probably more like 50%. It's still a very serious problem. Dredging will temporarily resolve the capacity issue, but they should take steps to restore and preserve the watershed also.
 

GringoRubio

Bronze
Oct 15, 2015
1,162
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Easy peasy, they need to start dredging and sluece the dirt down stream. Preferably, with enough water to wash it down.. And, during draughts, they need to take advantage of the exposed areas and do clean up.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Easy peasy, they need to start dredging and sluece the dirt down stream. Preferably, with enough water to wash it down.. And, during draughts, they need to take advantage of the exposed areas and do clean up.
Have you been to Taveras?

Getting large scale dredging equipment there is problematic. It's in some serious mountainpous areas.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Generally the cross sectional area is much larger at the surface so the capacity now is probably more like 50%.
Good point.

But 50% is still a real problem as you said.

Additionally, with that much silt, the use of the dam for flood management is seriously compromised. I'd like to know the silt level in 2007 when the floodgates were open without warning and hundreds of people downstream were drown.
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,480
732
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The good old oxymoron of Dominican preventative maintenance strikes again.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
The good old oxymoron of Dominican preventative maintenance strikes again.
LOL. That the main reason I chose to not bring my 182S down here when I moved: I would never trust the maintenance.

(Well, that, and it's the wrong tool for a cross-ocean flight through IFR airways without radar coverage, even with a 6.5 hour range.)
 

GringoRubio

Bronze
Oct 15, 2015
1,162
116
63
Have you been to Taveras?

Getting large scale dredging equipment there is problematic. It's in some serious mountainous areas.

I was there a few weeks ago. Beautiful area.

I was thinking of a gravity feed system such as siphon to start pulling the sediment and putting it downstream of the dam. I assume the dam was built at the bottom of a valley system, so by pulling the sediment close to the dam, should start to alleviate the problem.

It took a long time 40 years to reach this point, so it could take years to alleviate the problem.
 

kapitan75

New member
Jun 3, 2005
331
0
0
I didn't see this in DR1 news, but this article came over the transom and alarmed me. With a rapidly growing population, nothing is more important that solid water access, especially to population centers.

Sediment chokes icon Dominican dam, agency warns



So Tavaras, at max, hold less than 25% of its design capacity because of sediment? That is a very frightening number, and speaks to why the last dry season was so bad in the Cibao.

And low water means seriously degraded peak hydro power production.

This needs to be addressed NOW. Yesterday. Get the money and make it happen ASAP. Problem is that such projects have to be done in the dry season because getting large dredging equipment to those areas is a problem.

Alida says the gubmint has solicited bids for dredging and the projects would take 2-3 years. This should have been started years ago.

A side benefit of remediation of the dam reserve areas is the availability of a huge amount of decent soil that can be used in areas to supplement poor soil for agriculture.

what ever they do, they should shift through the material and see if there are any precious minerals, Cibao does still have gold in the dirt!
 

kapitan75

New member
Jun 3, 2005
331
0
0
The Taveras Dam is a nice area to visit. Near Sabana Iglesia , right? I had the good fortune of getting lost in this area, and enjoyed the beauty of the region and beauty of the women. lots of real rubia's here.