~ 1110-2-4000

15 Dec 89

CONTENTS

1-1. Introduction ....................................................... I-1

I-2. Contour Area Methods ............................................... I-1
I-3. Cross-sectional Area Methods ....................................... I-3

I-4. Combination Cross section-Contour Area Method ...................... I-6

I-5. Accuracy of Methods ................................................ I -6
I-6. Normal Usage ....................................................... I-6

I-i
~ 1110-2-4000
15 D@c 89

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure I-1. Reservoir area versus elevation (from item 2, Appendix A,

courtesy of The American Society of Civil Engineers) ........ I-2

Figure I-2. Modified prismoidal method (from item 2, Appendix A,

courtesy of The berican Society of Civil Engineers) ........ I-2

Figure I-3. Crosq-sectional area versus distance from dam (from item 2,
Appendix A, courtesy of The American Society of Civil
Engineers) .................................................. I-4

Figure I-4. Eakin’s range end method (from item 2, Appendix A, courtesy
of The American Society of Civil Engineers) ................. 1-5

I-ii
 m 1110-2-4000
15 Dec 89

APPENDIX I

RESERVOIR CAPACITY AND STORAGE DEPLETION COMPUTATIONS

I-1. Introduction. The most commonly used method for calculating volume of
sediment deposits is by subtracting the resurvey capacity from the original
capacity. Heinemann and Rausch [28] stated that the sediment deposits may
change in average density because of compaction between successive surveys and
could possible give erroneous sedimentation rates (usually in weight/time) if
the differences in successive reservoir capacities is used and adjustments are
not made to the density. This problem is eliminated if the average density of
the deposits for the time period is known.

I-2. Contour Area Methods. The contour area methods are based upon the
assumption that the area encompassed by a contour line and the contour
interval can adequately represent the volume between any successive contour
elevations . The smaller the contour interval the more accurate is the method.
Experience has shown that 2-ft contour intervals are adequate for most volume
computations. There are four contour area methods: Stage-area, modified
prismoidal, average contour area, and Simpson’s rule.

a. Stage-Area Method. This method requires an accurate stage-area curve.

The stage-area curve is developed by planimetering the area inside a contour
line and plotting it against the contour elevation as shown in Figure I-1.
Reservoir volume is calculated by integrating the area between this “contour-
area curve” and the y-axis as indicated by the shaded area of Figure 1-1 [2].

b. Modified Prismoidal Method. This method is based upon an averaging of

the areas of two successive contour lines and a geometric mean area all
multiplied by the contour interval to obtain the volume between the contour
elevations . Figure I-2 shows the concept for this method [2]. It is
expressed mathematical as

V = ( L / 3)*(A + SQRT(A*B) + B) (I-1)

where

v - Volume between two contour elevations

L= Contour interval
A= Area of lower contour
B-= Area of upper contour

c. Average Contour Area Method. This method uses the averaging of two
contour areas multiplied by the contour interval and is represented by the
following equation. The variables are the same as in the modified prism~idal
method.

v- (L/2)(A+ B) (I-2)

d. Simpson’s Rule. This method requires the contour interval to be

constant if using contour-area data. If cross section-area data is used, the
cross sections must be parallel and evenly spaced. Both require an even
numb er of segments; therefore, if there is an odd number of segments, another

I-1
~ 1110-2-4000
15 Dec 89

820

,,B

4,*

,,4
.
.
u
.

! 06

,04

,02

AREA IN ACRES

Figure I-1. Reservoir area versus elevation (from item 2, Appendix A,

courtesy of The American Society of Civil Engineers)

Figure I-2. Modified prismoidal method (from item 2, Appendix A, courtesy of

The American Society of Civil Engineers)

method must be used for the last interval. The general equation is:

I-2
 ~ 1110-2-4000
15 Dec 89

v= (1/3)h [Ao + An + 4(A1 + A3 + ... +An-1)

+2(A2+A4+ ... An-2)] (I-3)

where

v= capacity in acre feet

A= area of contour or cross section in acres
h- interval spacing between contours or cross sections
n - total number of contours or cross sections

I-3. Cross-Sectional Area Methods. Cross-sectional area methods require the

areas of cross sections (ranges) and distance between them which necessitates
the careful selection of range location and orientation to properly represent
the topography. Four basic methods use cross-sectional areas: Average end
area, cross-sectional area versus distance from dam, Eakin’ s range end
formula, and Simpson’s rule. Simpson’s rule using cross-sectional area has
previously been described under Contour-Area Methods.

a. Average End Area Method. Use of this method involves averaging the
end areas of successive ranges and multiplying by the distance between the
ranges to obtain the intermediate volume. The total volume is computed by
adding each intermediate volume for the entire reservoir length.

b. Cross-Sectional Area Versus Distance From Dam. A plot of cross-

sectional area (ordinate) versus distance from the dam (abscissa) is first
constructed in this method. A smooth curve, Figure I-3, is drawn through the
plotted points and the area under the curve represents the total volume. An
assumption is made that the cross sections are oriented parallel to the dam
and the distance from the dam is represented by a line perpendicular to the
dam and cross section [2].

I-3
~ 1110-2-4000
15 Dec 89

0
OISTANCC rROU OAM IN FEET

Figure I-3. Cross-sectional area versus distance from dam (from item 2,
Appendix A, courtesy of The American Society of Civil Engineers)

c. Eakin’s Range End Formula. Eakin’s [19] method is an adaptation of the

prismoidal formula and is shown in Figure I-4. The basic equation is:

v= (A/3)*[(El+E2)/(Wl+W2)] + (A’/3)*[(El+E2)/(Wl+W2)]

+ (h3*E3 + h4*E4)\3*43560] (I-4)

where

v- capacity between ranges, in acre-feet

A= total surface area of the segment at crest contour elevation, in acres

At _ total surface area of quadrilateral (abed) formed by the intersections

of the range with the crest elevation in acres

E= range cross sectional area below crest elevation, in square feet

w= width of range at crest elevation

h- perpendicular distance from a tributary range to the junction of the

tributary with the main stem or to the junction of the tributary with
the downstream range, which ever is shorter, in feet. See Figure I-4.

I-4
 ~ 1110-2-4000
15 k 89

Figure I-4. Eakin’s range end method (from item 2, Appendix A, courtesy of
The American Society of Civil Engineers)

If the ranges are not parallel, A’ must be computed by substitution of line

I-5
~ 1110-2-4000
15 E 89

segments ab and cd by 12 and 11 respectively,

where

11 = perpendicular distance from the downstream range to the upstream range

at its intersection (right side looking upstream) with the crest
elevation

12 = perpendicular distance from the upstream range to the downstream range

at its intersection (left side looking upstream) with the dam crest
elevation

d. The last term in Eakin’s formula contains the contributing volume from
the most downstream tributary range to the main stem and may be omitted if
there are no tributaries with the ranges. The formula can be applied again
from the downstream tributary range to the next upstream tributary range if
there are more than one tributary range.

I-4. Combination Cross Section-Contour Area Method. Burrell [11] developed a

constant factor method which uses both contour and cross-section area
information to directly compute deposited sediment volumes. In his method,
the volume portion between ranges and bounded by the dam crest elevation is
termed a segment and that portion in the segment between contour planes is
termed a subsegment. The volume of each subsegment is then defined as:

Vs = Vo * ( As’ + As”) / (Ao’ + Ao”) (I-5)

= F * (As’ + As”)
where

F= Vo / ( Ao’ + Ao”)
Vs = sediment deposited in a subsegment
Vo = original segment volume
Ao = original cross section area
As = sediment area of subsegment
I = upstream cross section
“ = downstream cross section

I-5. Accuracy of Methods. Heinemann and Dvorak [27] determined reservoir

capacity of several small reservoirs using stage-area modified prismoidal,
Eakin’s range formula, Simpson’s Rule (range cross-sectional area method) ,
average contour area, and cross-sectional area versus distance from dam
methods. They found all these methods to be fairly accurate with the greatest
deviation coming from comparisons of skewed and parallel ranges depicting the
same reservoir shape. They also considered the stage-area method to be the
most direct, simple, accurate and uniformly adaptable method.

I-6. Normal usage. The stage area, prismoidal, average contour area, average
end area, Eakin’s Range End formula and Combination cross-section contour area
methods are restricted for use by the spacing or orientation of sediment
ranges. Contour methods are generally used for original volume computation
because of availability of contour maps or the relative ease of obtaining more
accurate contour maps by aerial photometric procedures. Cross-sectional area

I-6
 EM 1110-2-4000
15 Dec 89

methods are generally used for resurveys because reservoir ranges, which are
used in these methods, have previously been established.

I-7