Disclosure to Promote the Right To Information

Whereas the Parliament of India has set out to provide a practical regime of right to
information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities,
in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority,
and whereas the attached publication of the Bureau of Indian Standards is of particular interest
to the public, particularly disadvantaged communities and those engaged in the pursuit of
education and knowledge, the attached public safety standard is made available to promote the
timely dissemination of this information in an accurate manner to the public.
1 +, 1 +

01 ' 5

The Right to Information, The Right to Live

Step Out From the Old to the New

Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

Jawaharlal Nehru

IS 7720 (1991): Criteria for Investigation, Planning and

Layout for Barrages and Weirs [WRD 22: River Training and
Diversion Works]

! $ ' +-
Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda

Invent a New India Using Knowledge

! > 0 B

BharthariNtiatakam

Knowledge is such a treasure which cannot be stolen

( Reaffirmed 2001 )

hdian

Standard

CRITERIA FOR INVESTIGATION,

PLANNING AND LAYOUT FOR BARRAGES
AND WEIRS
( First Revision )

UDC

62782 + 627431/432

BUREAU
MANAK

December

199 1

OF

BHAVAN,

BIS 1991

INDIAN

STANDARDS

9 BAHADUR
SHAH
NEW DELHI
110002

ZAFAR

MARG

Price Group

Barrages

and Weirs Sectional

Committee,

RVD 20

FOREWORD
This Indian Staudard ( First Revision 1 was adopted by the Bureau of Indian
Standards,
draft finalized by the Barrages and Weirs Sectional Committee
had been approved
by
Valley Division Council.

after the
the River

Barrages and weirs are constructed

for diverting water from river
navigation,
power generation,
water supply, etc.

irrigation,

for

various

uses

like

In order to exercise better control on the river and flow conditions,

both upstream
and downstream
and to limit the afllux without recourse to excessive water way, barrages
are generally
preferred.
Where the sediment load carried by the river is heavy or there is need for pondage or for a rail/road
bridge over the diversion works, overall considerations
may distinctly favour a barrage.
However,
in rivers carrying a moderate load of fine silt and where the required
pond level is considerably
below the natural high flood level of the river, the aflux created even by a weir would be small
and its adoption
could
be considered
taking
into account
the economics
and regulation
requirements.
After establishing
the necessity of the barrage or a weir, proper
are essential
for its economical
design and construction,
functioning.

investigation,
its continued

planning
safety

and layout
and efficient

This standard was first published in 1975. The revision of this standard has been taken up in the
light of experience gained during the last fifteen years in the use of this standard.
The important
changes in this revision include investigations
concerned
with the effect of barrage
and weir on
environment
and ecology.
This revision also covers constraints
imposed by custom,
water laws
and rights or accepted policy and aspects relatin g to land required for utility services, during
and
after construction.

-_-_-a

IS 7720 : 1991

Indian Standard
CRITERIA FOR INVESTIGATION9
PLANNING AND LAYOUT FOR BARRAGES
AND WEIRS
( First Revision )
adverse geological indications, such as faults, fractured zones, shear zones, fissures, solution cavities,
seismicity, slide zones, etc.

1 SCOPE
This standard lays down the criteria for investigation,
planning and layout for barrages and weirs.

3.13 Study of Foundation Strata

2 REFERENCES

Data should be collected by making trial pits, trenches

and boreholes and studies of existing nearby deep cuts
and wells and reports of other projects in the nearby
zone. Possibility of subsidence from mineral extraction or other causes should also be studied.

The Indian Standards listed in Annex A are necessary

adjuncts to this standard.
3 INVESTIGATIONS

3.1.4 Study of Avaiiable

3.0 Investigations are generally done in two stages:

a) Preliminary investigations, and

the catchment, river gauges and the corresponding

discharges should be made with a view to assessing the
available lo-daily and monthly run-off and peak flow
diversion or storage.

Investigations

These investigations should include the following:

b)
c)

4
4

3.15 Study ofExisting Projects Upstream andDownstream of Barrages

Study of available maps including remote

sensing maps;
Regional and site geology;
Study of foundation strata;
Study of available run-off and flood flow data;
Study of existing projectsupstream and downstream of barrage;
Assessment of water requirement;
Effect of proposed barrage or weir contemplated on environment and ecology;

The projects in the river which may name some effort

on the functioning of the barrage may be collected.

3.1.6 Assessment of Water Requirement
It is necessary to assess the extent of water requirements for diversion during the various periods and the
feeding level.
3.1.7 EffectofProposedBarrage
ment and Ecology

or constraints imposed by custom,

water laws and rights or accepted policy;

h) Limitations

of Available

Maps In&ding

have upon the ecosystem in which these are placed

and especially on the fish, wild life and human inhabitants adjacent to the structure is to be evaluated. The
aim should be selection of such a site where the construction of the barrage or weir minimizes environmental disturbances while also creating aesthetic and
culturally pleasing conditions under which the enviromnent can be protected and developed to serve the
demands of nature and man. Possible adverse erosion
of banks and river meandering on the upstream and
downstream of proposed project site on account of
construction and operation of the barrage may be
considered.

Remote

Sensing Maps

Study of available maps should be made to have a

general idea of the topography and to locate possible
sites and their catchment area. Photo imageries sent by
remote sensing from satellites may be used to locate
the possible sites. Earlier maps, if available, should be
consulted as they would provide useful information
regarding stability of the river at the site.
3.13

or Weir on Environ-

The effect which the proposed barrage or weir will

j) Availability of construction materials;

k) Land for utility services; and
ml Communication to the site of work.
3.1.1 Study

Flow

The study of available data, such as,rainfall records in

b) Detailed investigations.
3.1 Preliminary

Run-off and Flo&

Data

3.18 Limitations or Constraints Impossd by Custom,

Water Laws and Rights or Accepted Policy

Regional and Site Geology

In most areas the amount of water available may not be

sufficient at least during some seasons to satisfy all

It should be studied with particular reference to

1

IS 7720 : 1991

k)

potential demands. A system of water laws or rights,

interstate treaty on sharing of water, etc, already developed or framed have to be recognized and a careful
evaluation is to be made of the human socio-economic
factors in the area, their present state, their trends and
to the corresponding
needs and requirements of the
society.
3.1.9

Availability

4
n)

Preliminary investigation should be made to assess the

requirement of construction materials and their availability in the vicinity of the sites under consideration.
3.1.10 Land for Utility Services
It is necessary to make preliminary investigation to
assess whether sufficient and suitable land will be
available near the proposed barrage site, for installation of utility services for example workshop, aggregate processing plant, batching and mixing plant, etc,
without damaging the environment and ecology and
without any encroachment
upon the forest land and
wild life habitat.

3.2.1 Detailed

While deciding on the choice of suitable site, due

consideration
should be given for easy accessibility
and economic transportation of materials to the site of
work. Possible sites for the location of the barrage or
weir should be marked out on the basis of investigation
carried out in accordance with the provisions of 3.1.1
to 3.1.10. It should be possible to eliminate some of
these sites on topographical, environmental
and other
considerations
by site inspection. Further investigation should be carried out for the remaining sites by
sub-surface explorations.
Gauge discharge observations should also be started, if not already available.
Thereafter, considering the merits and demerits of the
different sites, the sites chosen can be graded in order
of their suitability.
,.
- t+*1
After preliminary selection of site, the foilowing investigationshould
be carried out in detail with a view
to collect data for the design of the main structure and
the appurtenant works for the site chosen:
3.2 Detailed Investigations

Detailed topographical

cl
d)

Sediment

e)
9

Collection
data;

and meterological

studies;

Design discharge of major hydraulic structure

upstream of the proposed site, if any;
Surface and subsurface investigation including laboratory tests for foundation engineering purposes;
i
Detailed
river morphology .and ecological
studies;

Change in river regime due to construction

the barrage or weir;

h)
j)

Land acquisition and rehabilitation problem;

Diversion requirements and river haining work,

Topographical

Survey

3.2.1.2 It is desirable to observe the cross sections at

closer intervals, say 100 m, up to 2 km upstream and 1
km downstream of the proposed barrage or weir for
model studies. In the remaining reach the cross sections may be observed at an interval of 200 m. The
cross levels in the river bed may be spaced 5 to 20 m
apart depending upon the topography of the river. In
the deep channel portion the cross levels may be taken
closer. The cross sections should be extended on both
banks up to about 2.5 m above the high flood level
(observed or ascertained from local enquiry) as far as
possible, otherwise to anextent such that proper layout
of guide and afflux bunds may be decided. In hilly
streams cross sections at closer intervals may be taken
and in that case bed levels should also have closer
spacing. For plain areas, contour intervals of 0.5 mare
required but inbouldery areas, contour intervals of 2 m
are suitable.

survey;

of hydrological

studies, such as :

3.2.1.1 Topographical survey consisting of contour

plan of the area, cross sections and longitudinal section of the river should be carried out as given in IS
6966 (Part 1) : 1989. The survey should be plotted to
suitable scale. The survey should also show all salient
features like firm, banks, rock outcrops, deep than- i
nels, large shoals and islands, deep pools, important
land marks, all existing structures, etc. The length of
the survey may depend upon the nature of stream,
the size of barrage or weir, upstream and downstream control points and the purpose of diversion. If
the river course on the upstream and downstream of
the site is straight, the length of survey may be shortened whereas in the case of meandering
rivers the
length of the survey may be increased so as to cover
at least two fully developed meanders on the upstream
of the barrage axis and one meander on the downstream or as may be required for detailed model
studies. In case of a barrage site at foothill region, the
survey should be continued at least for 2 km upstream and one km downstream in the gorge portion
from the barrage axis. The extent of upstream stretch
necessary for the calculation of the backwater under
high flood stage should be surveyed. If felt necessary satellite imagineries on 1 in 50 000 scale may be
studied 40s getting idea of the meandering tendencies of the river.

to the Site of Work

a)
b)

Other miscellaneous

9 Pond survey;
ii) Fish pass;
iii) Navigation, if any;
iv) Possible generation of power;
v) Passage of migratory wild life for example, elephants;
vi) Rail/road bridge across the barrage:
vii) Data relating to ice problem; and
viii) Problem of landslide and erosion of banks
near the barrage, if any.

of Construction Material

3.1.11 Communication

Construction materials and borrow areas survey;

Communication
system; and

of

IS 7720 : 1991
3.23
Data

Collection ofHydrological

3.223 Sediment Studies

andMeteorological

333.1 If no data of sediment load carried by the river

are available, sediment observations should bc started
immediately with the gauge discharge observations as
soon as the barrage or weir is contemplated.
The
quality and quantity of sediment carried by the river
water, especially during flood season, is necessary for
planning sediment exclusion or prevention works and
to frame a suitable mode of regulation. The suspended
sediment samples should bc collected in accordance
with IS 4890 : 1968.

3.2.2.1 The aim of collection of hydrological data is

hvo fold, namely: (a) for computing the design flood
and (b) for assessingthe lo-daily or monthly run-off on
a more realistic basis. For these studies it is necessary
to obtain rainfall and run-off data.
3.23.2

Design flood

The following data should be collected for estimating

the maximum anticipated flood:

a)

b)

Catchment characteristics, such as shape, slope,

orientation, drainage system and infiltration
capacity fordevelopingsynthetic
hydrograph,
if adequate data are not available;

Peak flow data for the river for as many years

as possible for frequency analysis;

e)

Flood marks by local enquiry to estimate maximum flood by slope area method;

f)

Daily river gauges should be observed as

specified in IS 6966 (Part 1) : 1989. At the
time of flow, hourly gauge observation
should be carried out for the estimation of
peak flow; and

3.2.23

3.2.4 Design Discharge of Major Hydraulic

Structure Upstream of the Proposed Site

Flood hydrographs for isolated rain storms for

working out unit hydrograph;

cl

g)

3.233
In case the sediment charge-brought
by the
river is excessive, due margin should be given for
sedimentation while fixing the pond capacity, particularly in case where pondage is proposed to be provided
to meet diurnal power fluctuations.

Daily rainfall recorded at different stations in

the catchment area and data regarding storms
in respect of successive positions of the ccntre
of the storm on the catchment should be collected. Storms causingpeakdischarges
should
be separated for unit hydrograph analysis;

Water

If there is any major hydraulic structure for example,

a storage damon the upstreamof the proposed barrage,
the peak flood discharge and rating curve for that dam
are to be collected for ascertaining
the design discharge of the barrage. The water availability
at the
barrage site will also depend on the release from the
dam. Hence, regulation manual of the dam should be
collected.
32.5 Surface,andSubsurfaceInvestigationIncluding
Laboratory
Tests for Foundation
Engineering
Purposes
The detailed provisions in this regard are covered in
relevant Indian Standards.
33.6 Detailed
Studies

For major barrages, cross sections across the

river should be taken everyday during the
flow season at the site of the gauge discharge
observation
for correct assessment of the
gauge discharge co-relation. If therefjs an
already
existing gauge and discha&? site
which takes regular cross section of river
even during the monsoon, then the same data
can be suitably co-related to barrage site.

River Morphology

and Ecological

3.2.6.1 The environmental

science is a subject of
interdisciplinary
nature and it would be desirable to
associate the various experts like environmental
and
ecology experts, fish biologists, wild life preservation
experts, recreational consultants, landscape architects,
botanists, etch with the environmental
problems from
the investrgatron stage of a barrage or weir project.
The principal environmental
factors which may be
affected are : wild life (both land and aquatic species),
natural scenic values, recreational historical and archaeological.

Run-off

A gauge discharge site should be established at a suitable point in the vicinity of the barrage site. The gauge
discharge data should bc utilised to evolve a gauge
discharge curve for computing the discharge for the
period for which river gauge data are available. The
run-off data thus obtained should be utilised for estimating dependable yield. If the data available for the
site is inadequate, a correlation could be established
for utilising the long term data available for a nearby
site on the river. If tributaries are meeting the river on
which the barrage is contemplated on the upstream of
barrage axis, gauge discharge sites should also be established on these tributaries just upstream of barrage
axis for estimating their contribution to the run-off at
the barrage site.

3.2.6.2 The environmental

and ecology experts team
should investigate in detail the damages which may
be caused to the environment
and ecosystem of the
site due to construction of the barrage or weir and
should submit a list of criteria which the planner and
the designer of the barrages should encompass for
minimizing
the environmental
disturbance
while
also creating conducive environment
which serves
both the demand of nature for ecological balance
and the demands of man for social and psychological
balances.
33.63
The impact on fish and aquatic life and its
amelioration is to be investigated. Critically important
3

IS7720:1991
3.2.10 Construction
Survey

to the survival of fish population are water quality,

water temperature and -mobility. The impact on wild
life including
insects and birds are to be studied.
There may be three effects on wild life : removal of
feeding areas, loss of habitat and limitations of mobility. There may be loss of forest areas and natural vegetation and natural scenic value of the site and recreational facilities. These should be properly investigated
and corrective measures like compulsory afforestation, etc, to be suggested. Loss of mineral, fuel, agricultural land, transportation system and loss of means
of livelihood of the local inhabitants should be evaluated. Historical and archaeological places of importance should not be allowed to submerge underbarrage
pond, as far as possible.

3.2.11 Communication

a) Existing and proposed

routes with information
tation;
b) Telephone

Problem

roads, rail and water

on load and size limi-

and telegraph

c) Sources for obtaining

sion line routes.

lines; and

power with transmis-

Investigation should include dislocation of the existing facilities and their relocation and additional facilities required during construction and operation of the
barrage.

3.2.8.1 Thorough and detailed investigation

should
be made in respect of land to be acquired for construction of barrage or weir with all appurtenant structures
and land needed for ponding, utility and enabling
works. Not dnly the present use of the submerged area,
but its potential uses should also be considered. Total
agricultural land, forest land, pasture land, orchards,
homestead land to be acquired is to be accurately
assessed. Value of property submerged should be low
in relation to expected benefits.

3.2.12 Other Miscellaneous

Studies

3.2.12.1 Pond survey

The area submerged up to normal pond Ievel or
within the afflux bunds that shall be acquired to be
surveyed and all movable and immovable properties
coming within it should be recorded and values
worked out before the works are started to avoid
disputes and delay at a later stage. Forest land coming
under the pond area should be specifically demarcaL,d%,07thatnecessary arrangements may be made to
obtain permission
from Government
of India and
land transfer from the Forest Department.

3.2.8.2 During investigation care should be taken to

select such a site where minimum forest land is submerged or damaged. The possibility of submergence
of mineral deposits or of petroleum prod#ts should
also be examined. Properinvestigationshodld
be made
for alternative sites for rehabilitation
of displaced
families so that they may have better quality of life and
may continue with their existing professions. Necessary investigations should be made to assess the facilities and means of livelihobd enjoyed by the displaced
persons which need relocation.
3.2.9 Diversion Requireme&

System

Detailed assessment should be made of the following

facilities required during construction and implementation phase of the project.

Barrage or weir is essentially an obstruction in the

normal flow of the river and effects changes in the river
regime both upstream and downstream. A barrage or
weir increases the tortuosity of the river upstream and
downstream.
Necessary data is to be collected for
model studies to evaluate the possible change in river
regime and its reduction by adjustment of the location
and length of the barrage.
and Rehabilitation

and Borrow Areas

Survey of construction materials, like building stone,

limestone, brick, sand, gravel, suitable earth, etc, their
availability with leads and lifts is necessary for determining the type of construction
for perparing comparative estimates. Availability
of hard and durable
stone may make masonry preferable to concrete. If
limestone is available, its hydraulicity,
strength and
durability should be investigated. Laboratory and field
tests should be carried out for determining the quality
of aggregates and earth materials. The borrow area
survey should be made for availability
of suitable
construction materials and their distances from the
barrage site.

3.2.7 Change in River Regime Due to Construction of

the Barrage or Weir

3.2.8 Land Acquisition

Materials

3.2.12.2 Fish pass

These are required for migratory fish and should be
provided in consultation with the experts of Fisheries
department and Central Inland Fisheries Research
Institute. Necessary data as may be advised, should be
collected for assessing the need for provision of a fish
pass and its design.

and R&r Training Works

Diversion
and river training
works should be
worked out in accordance with the needs of the
project. Necessary data for diversion and care of the
river during construction
should be collected for
proper planning and design of temporary diversion
works. Model study is a very useful tool in the
design and construction of river training works. All
requisite data for model studies, design and construction of river training works to guide the river to flow
axially through the barrage or weir and to check the
outflanking should be collected.

3.2.12.3

Navigation

This study is necessary to assess the effect of barrage

on the existing navigation facilities. If the barrage is to
ObStNCt
the passage of the boats, small navigation
locks will be necessary. For this puvses,
size of
boats, frequency, draft, load, etc, are to be assessed.
If a new navigation
route can be established due to
4

IS 7720 : 1991
the pondage
investigated.

of the barrage,

the same canalso

4 PLANNING

be

4.1 General
3.2.12.4

Possible generation ofpower

4.2 Location
4.2.1. Location for a barrage or weir should be decided on considerations of suitability forthe barrage or
weir proper, the undersluices and the canal head regulators. An ideal location is that which satisfies the requirements for all the three. For irrigation purposes;
the head works shall be so planned that full command
may be achieved by a barrage or weir of reasonable
height. The combined cost of the construction
of
headworks and the canal from the barrage or weir to
the point where irrigation commences should be as
small as is consistent with the efficiency of the project.
Sometimes a most favourable site for a barrage or a
weir may have to be discarded due to large quantity of
rock excavation involved in the construction
of the
works. The points given in 43.2 to 4.25 need careful
considerations while deciding the proper location of
the barrage or weir.

3.2.12.5 Passage of migratory wild life for example,

elephants
If by construction of a barrage or weir the mobility of
migratory wild life is hampered due to construction of
afflux bund and creation of pond, necessary provision
of passage or pass is to be made at downstream of the
barrage or upstream of the pond area for safe and
smooth migration of wild life from one bank to the
other bank of the river. All necessary and relevant data
such as number of wild animals in a herd, number of
herds moving across the river, period in which they
migrate, their usual path, steps to be taken to make
them follow new passage, etc, are to be collected so
that necessary and suitable safe passage can be pmvided for their migration.
Rail/road

43.2 The river reach should, as far as possible, be

straight so that velocities may be uniform and the
sectional area of the river fairly constant. The banks
should preferably be high, well defined and inerodible.
This will obviate oblique approach as well as nonuniform distribution of flow on to the barrage. If such
a site is available, it may need very small or practically
no guide bunds. In case of high banks, the country
side will not be submerged during high floods and a
considerable
saving in the cost of flood protection
embankmenb
can be effected. In the case of a meandering river the barrage or weir should be located at
the nodal point.

bridge across the barrage

Sometimes a road bridge may be provided along a

barrage or weir for providing communication
facilities between two banks of the river. In such a case,
data regarding the size of the bridge, type of the
bridge, footpaths, class of loading needed, @sent
and projected
traffic volume, etc, should-be collected. If railway bridge is also required, the data
should be collected in consultation with the railway
authorities.
3.2.12.7

Arrangement

A barrage or weir normally comprises a deep pocket of

undersluice portion in front of the canal head regulator
on one or both the sides and the remaining river bays
or spillway bays separated from the undersluice bays
by divide walls. In addition guide bunds on the upstream and downstream of the barrage or the weir and
sediment excluding devices such as silt excluders in
the barrage and silt ejectors in the canal are provided.
Detailed model studies should be carried out to decide
the location, levels and layout of the barrage and
appurtenant structures.

All barrages have got the potential of generating a

differential head throughout the non-monsoon season,
between the upstream pond and tail water. With the
development
of bulb turbines which can cater for
heads varying between one metre to fifteen metres,
excellent power can be generated in the barrages
proper, provided some excess water is available for
this purpose. The investigation should include minimum available lo-daily flow in 50%, 75% and 90% of
the year and the normal differential head available in
different months. Exclusion of sediment bed load and
in suspension to be investigated, keeping in mind the
abrasion of turbine blades.

3.2.12.6

AND LAYOUT

Data relating to ice problems

3.2.12.8 Problem of land slide and erosirqn of banks

near the barrage

4.23 A slight curvature at the site may be advantageous frompoint of

which when
located on the downstream end of the outer curvature
will have the advantage of drawing less sediment.
However cross currents maybe produced due to curvature and may endanger the foundation. Moreover, if
Canalstake of from both the banks, the canal taking off
from the inner side of the curve will draw comparatively more sediment. Therefore, proper judgement
should be exercised while deciding the location of a
barrage or weir in a curvature reach of the river.

Specially for barrages for generating electricity in

upper reaches of the river the hills on both the banks
should be properly studied against any possibility of
landslide, etc. The selection of site should be suitably
modified on the basis.

4.2.4 The undersluices should be sited in the deep

channel in order to ensure adequate supply to the canal
head at all times; when canals take off from both
banks, a site with deep channels on both the banks and
low water in the central portion is the most suitable.

In high altitudes where the problem of formation of

ice exists, data regarding the ice thickness, maximum
and minimum temperatures and rate of variation of
temperature should be collected. These are necessary
for designing the structure and de-icing facilities as
well.

IS 7720 : 1991
4.7.3 A divide wall of two thirds to full width of the
head regulator normally gives satisfactory flow conditions when only one canal takes off from a barrage or
a weir. In the case of more than one canal on the same
bank, the divide wall should be taken up to the upstream end of the uppermost head regulator. Hydraulic
model studies are to be made to determine the position
and length of upstream divide wall for most effective
action.

4.2.5 While deciding the layout, due consideration

should be given for all possible locations of the sediment ejector and availability of levels for effecting
proper functioning of escape channel.
4.3 River Diversion Scheme
While decidingthe locationand layout ofthe barrages,
due consideration should be given to the river diversion and flood handling scheme during construction.
At times the hydraulic requirements may have to be
compromised to obtained a workable diversion scheme
or the barrage constructed in a spill of the river and the
river diverted on to it by providing suitable river
training works. Such decision should be supported by
adequate model studies.
4.4 Alignment

4.7.4 It is necessary to continue the divide wall on the

downstream to ensure adequacy of tail water depth in
the undersluice bays for the formation of jump and to
avoid cross flow in the vicinity of the structure which
may result in objectionable scours. The divide wall is
generally extended to the end of impervious floor or to
the end of loose apron on the downstream side. The
exact length required is to be determined on the basis
of model studies.

of Barrage or Weir

The alignment of a barrage or weir should be such as

to ensure normal and uniform flow through all the
barrage or weir bays, as far as possible. A barrage or
weir aligned atright angles to the river course will have
the minimum length and normal flow thereby minimizing the chances of shoal formation and shrouding
of a portion of the barrage specially the undersluice
pocket. A skew alignment should be avoided unless
otherwise necessitated by site conditions. The alignment should, as far as possible, be finalised after
detailed model studies.
4.5 Alignment

of the Head Regulator

The upstream abutment

set back from the line
axis. The head regulator
of 900 to 110 to the
sediment entry into the
4.6 Upstream

4.7.5 A second pocket of river sluice, adjoining the

undersluices
has been found to improve the flow
conditions considerably where the river curvature is
not favourable
for silt free entry of water into the
canal by inducing convex curvature opposite the
head regulator. The provision of second pocket can
also be adopted in case of wide rivers to guide the
river to flow centrally, minimizing
cross flow and
inhibiting formation of shoals near the head regulator.
The location and layout of river should be decided by
model studies.
4.8 River Training Works

of the head regulator should be

at right angles to the barrage
is usually aligned at an angle
barrage axis for minimizing
canal (see IS 6531 : 1972).

4.8.1 River training works for barrages and weirs are

required to: (a) prevent out flanking of the structure,
(b) minimize cross flows through the barrage or weir
which may endanger the structure and protection
works, (c) prevent flooding of the riverine lands upstream of the barrages and weirs, (d) provide favourable curvature of flow at the head regulator from the
point of sediment entry into the canal, and (e) guide the
river to flow axially through the barrage or weir.

Floor and Crest Levels

4.6.1, The crest and upstream floor levels in the undersluice bays may be kept at the general lowestbed level
of the deep channel of the river, subject to,fhe cost of
foundation and the difficulty in dewatering.

4&2 A river generally flows in a wide alluvial belt

and <t&necessary
to narrow down and restrict its
course through the barrage or weir constructed across
it. The guide buds are constructed to arrest the meandering tendency, obliquity of flow and to maintain
deep channels through the undersluice bays adjacent to
the canal offtakes. Proper alignment of guide bunds is
essential to ensure satisfactory flow conditions on to
the barrage. The most effective alignment, length and
shape of guide bunds should be decided by model
studies.

4.6.2 The upstream floor of the remaining bays, that

is spillway bays should be kept normally 0.5 to 1.0 m
above the upstream floor level of the undersluice bays
or the general river bed level. The crest of the spillway
bays should be kept high by 1.0 to 1.5 m than the crest
level of the undersluice bays.
4.7 Position and Length of Divide Wail
4.7.1 A divide wall is normally constructed at right
angles to the barrage or weir axis to separate the
undersluice bays from the barrage or weir bays. Under
adverse flow conditions additional diyide walls may
be required in barrage or weir bays.

4.8.3 In case of wide alluvial banks the length and

curvature of head of guide bunds should be kept such
that worst meander loop is wide away from either the
canal embankment or the approach embankment.
If
the alluvial bank is close to the barrage, the guide
bunds maybe tied to it byprovidingsuitablecurvature,
if necessary. If there are any out-crop of hard strata on
the banks it is advisable to tie the guide bunds to such
control points.

4.7.2 The main function of the divide wall on the

upstream side is to provide a comparatively still pocket
in front of the canal head regulator resulting in depositionofthesedimentinthepocketandentryofsiltfree
clear water into the canal.

IS 7720 : 1991
48.4 While constructing barrages or weirs on rivers
in alluvial plains, the natural waterway is restricted for
economy as well as, for better flow conditions through
the barrage or the weir and the unbridged width is
blocked by means of approach embankments.
The
approach embankment on both sides should be aligned
in line with the axis of barrage up to a point beyond the
range of worst anticipated meander loop formed near
the head of guide bunds.

the edges are not far off. If the edges are far off it can
be aligned in alluvial belt but precaution should be
taken to align it away from the zone of high velocity
flow. If necessary proper river training works may be
done along with construction of marginal bunds.
48.7 Gryones and spurs are structures constructed
transverse to the river flow extending from bank into
the river. These serve one or more of the following
functions:

a) Training

the river along the desired course to

reduce concentration of flow and to direct the
flow centrally through the barrage or weir,

4.8.5 Afflux embankments are earthen bunds extending from both the approach embankments and connected on upstream to the ground above affluxed
highest flood level orto flood embankment, if existing.
On the downstream the embankments have to be taken
to such a length as would be necessary to protect the
canal or approach embankments from high floods.

b)

Creating slack flow with the object of silting

up the area in the vicinity.

cl

Protecting the bank or afflux bund by keeping

the flow away from it. Position, type and
spacing of spurs, if needed are to be fixed by
model studies. River training works are to be ,
done in conformity with IS 8408 : 1976.

48.6 The alignment of afflux bunds on upstream

generally follows the alluvial belt edge of the river, if

ANNEX A
(Clause 2)
LIST OF REFERRED
IS No.

Title

4890 : 1968

Method
for measurement
suspended
sediment
in
channels

6531 : 1972

Criteria for design

regulators

INDIAN

STANDARDS
IS No.

of
open

of canal head

Title

6966 (Part 1) : Guidelines for hydraulic design of

barrages and weirs : Part 1 Alluvial
1989
reaches
8408 : 1976

Criteria for river training works for

barrages and weirs in alluvium

.
kc-7

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