02 - 3 Design of Intakes - V2

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply
Habtamu Hailu (PhD)

Addis Ababa Science and Technology University
CHAPTER 2_3 Design of Intake Structures

2.3 Design of Intake Structures
What is Intake
• Intake structures are common

structures constructed for enabling
abstraction of water from surface
sources in a water supply scheme. Lake Intake
• Intake is constructed watertight with

stone masonry or brick masonry,
R.C.C, or concrete blocks.
• Intake is designed in such a way that

it resist all forces likely to come upon it
including the pressures due to water,
wave action, wind, floating debris,
annual rainfall, geological formations.
River Intake

Functions of Intakes
• The basic function is for safe withdrawal of water from the source
over a predetermined range of pool level and then to discharge this
water into the withdrawal conduit through which it follows up to the
water treatment plant (intake conduit).
• Intakes provide calm and still water, free from floating matter for
water supply schemes.
• Intakes help in protecting the conduit from being damaged or clogged
by ice, trash, debris etc.
• System of purification of water greatly depends upon the intake
structure.
 The more purer water intake can supply, less exhaustive will be
the treatment of water.

Location of Intakes (1/2)
• Success of an intake greatly depends upon its location.
• In general, the following may be considered in locating intakes:
 The site for intakes should be as near as possible to treatment
plant.
 Intake should be located on the upstream side of the town.
Water will not be contaminated on this side due to sewage
disposal of the city.
 The intake should be able to draw water at all levels.
 The intake should be located at a place where it can draw water
even during the driest periods of the year.
 The intake must be located in the purer zone of the source.

Location of Intakes (2/2)
 Avoid locations that are near wastewater discharge points.
 River intakes should not be on curved reach of the river. If no
alternative, then intake should be located on the outer bank and
not on the inner bank.
 The intake site should be easily accessible (roads and power) to
facilitate operation and maintenance.
 The intake should be in the position to fulfill the enhanced needs
if required.
 Heavy water current should not strike the intake directly.
 Locations that result in major environmental impacts should be
avoided

Types of Intake Structures
• Intakes are provided whenever water is withdrawn from a surface
source such as a canal, lake, river or a reservoir.
• Since conditions are different for all these sources, intake will also be
different for all of them.
• According to the sources, intakes are mainly classified into five types:
1. River intake
2. Canal intake
3. Reservoir intake
4. Lake intake (Simple submerged intake)
5. Intake tower

1. River Intake
• Always located on the upstream side of the
town.
• It is located on the river at a place where

water can be withdrawn in sufficient quantity
even during the minimum water level.
• Sometimes an approach channel may have
to be constructed on the upstream side of
the intake to lead the river water to the
intake.
• There are two type of River intake
1. Twin well type See Figure
2. Single well type See Figure

1. River Intake
• Direct Intake: Water can also be pumped
straight from a stream or river to treatment and
storage using direct pumping.
• This type of intake should be used only in rivers
that have a year-round required minimum depth
of flow.
• The intake should be located near the deepest
part of the river.
• A permanent structure of such intake consists of:
a) A screened intake with a check valve,
b) A protective concrete ring with perforations,
c) A catwalk, and
d) A power pump See Figure

2. Canal Intake
• In case of canal intake, the intake well is generally located on the
bank of a canal, and water enters the chamber through an inlet pipe,
covered with fine screen.
Canal intake
well

3. Reservoir Intake
• Reservoir are very common source of water, for water supply
schemes, they are developed when dams and weirs are constructed
across the river.
• This intake is generally, constructed on the side of the dam of the
reservoir because depth of water along the dam is always the
maximum and water remains available at the intake even during
driest season.
• In case of earthen dam, it has to be independent from the dam.
See Figure
• In case of gravity dam, intake may be made partly in the body of the
dam.
See Figure

4. Lake Intake
• This intake is just similar to reservoir intake because condition of
water in both cases are similar.
• In lake intake, however, as the maximum depth occurs at the center
of the basin, simple submerged intake is used.
See Figure

Intake Tower
• It is generally used for large project and on
rivers or reservoir where there is a large
fluctuation of water level.
• Control gates are provided at various level.
• Access should be provided for operating
the gates.
• There are two type of intake towers
1 - Dry intake tower See Figure
Intake Tower - Legedadi
2 - Wet intake tower See Figure

Screening
• Screening is a unit operation that removes suspended matter from

water.
• There are three type of screening
1. coarse or trash screening
2. fine screening
3. micro screening

Coarse or trash screening
• It prevents large objects from entering the conveyance system.
• It should be provided outside (on the water side) of any sluice gate
or stop log slot to prevent debris from interfering with their operation.
• To minimize the sediment deposits in front of the intake entrance a
coarse sediment excluder should be provided.

Fine screening
• It used to remove smaller objects that may damage pumps or other
equipment.
• It may be located either at the intake structure or at the row water
pump station.
• In the case of gravity conveyance system, it may be provided at the
water treatment plant.
Micro screening
• It is used for the removals of plankton and algae from impounded
waters.
• It is installed before chemical coagulation and will often improve the
performance of clarifiers.

General design considerations of intake structures
• Intake should be sufficiently heavy so that it may not float due to up
thrust of water.
• Also, a heavy intake should not be washed away by heavy water
currents.
• All the forces which are expected to work on the intake should be
carefully analyzed and intake should be designed to with stand all of
them.
• The foundation of the intake should be taken sufficiently deep. This
will avoid undermining and over turning of the structure.
• Strainers in the form of wire mesh should be provided on all the
intake inlet.
• Inlets should be such size and so located that sufficient quantity of
water can be availed from the intake in all the circumstances.

1. Design of direct intake (1/5)
The design considerations are:
• This type of intake should be used only in rivers that have a year-round
depth of usually over 0.50m
• Design of Intake Pipe:

 The intake pipe is a pipe with a wire mesh screen.
 The intake pipe is located in the concrete ring (pump well) and stands
above the stream bed in order to prevent large particles and sediment
from entering the system.
 The size of the pipe is decided based on the design discharge from
continuity equation.
See Figure 2

• Protective concrete ring with perforations:
 The ring should have a height of greater than 1m and a dia. of 1.5m.
 The ring is precast and lowered into the stream with the stream bed 0.3-
0.5m for adequate support.
 The ring should be large enough to protect the intake from water moving
at high velocities and from large floating debris.
 Several small, 50-70mm diameter, holes can be drilled in the ring to
ensure an adequate water flow to the intake.
 A wooden cover fits over the ring to protect the intake pipe.
See Figure 2

• Catwalk:
 Designed to connect the stream bank to the concrete ring and to support
the intake pipe from the bank to the ring.
 It can be made of wood for easier construction.
 They are laid parallel, 1m apart and bolted to the concrete ring by
attaching them to the bolts in the ring. The other end of each timber is
attached to the abutment on the shore.
 Planks, 0.25m by 0.15m, are then nailed to the top to form a walkway.
Wooden pipe supports 1.5m apart is bolted to the bottom of the catwalk
structure. A 0.5m by 0.15m plank is sufficient for the supports.

• Catwalk:
 A small strip of metal or rubber should be fastened to the support and
around the pipe to keep it in place.
 On the shore, build a concrete abutment 1.5m x 1m x 0.15m and level to
the top of the concrete ring. This will support the catwalk.
 The piling should be half the length and width of the abutment and
should extend into the ground 0.5-1.0m.
 The abutment and piling should be constructed as a single unit.
See Figure

• A power pump:
 Install a pump and connect it to the intake pipe.
 Put the pump on level ground if possible, not less than 2m from the
shore.
 The pump capacity is determined by:
HP = Q*H/75
Where,
HP= pump horse power
Q= required design discharge in
lit/sec
H = the system head in m
H= Hs +hlosses

2. Design of well type river intake
• The major parameters of design are:
 size and layout of the intake port(s)
 layout and bar arrangement of coarse screens
 location and size of fine screen
 head losses in the intake port, coarse and fine screens
 a check on the stability of the intake structure.

2. Design of well type river intake
The design considerations are:
• Design capacity = daily maximum Q.
• Intake velocity should not be greater than 8cm/s so that suspended matters
and fishes do not enter into the conveyance system.
• Vertical positions of intake ports should be such that good quality water is
withdrawn.
 Locate the top intake port at a distance not less than 2m from the
normal water level and the bottom port at least 1m above the bottom.
• Volume of sump is such size that it allows a detention time of at least
20minutes.
• Two sumps may be provided to avoid interruption of service.
• The height of the sump should be provided with a freeboard of at least 0.5m.
• Location of the bottom of the sump should be greater than 1.5m below the
lowest stream level or greater than 1m below the stream bed.

Example 2:
• Design well type river intake with respect to
 number and size of shaping of opening in the intake well
 the size ,shape and the height of the intake well
 the gravity pipe for row water connecting the intake well and jack
well.
• Given data
 RL of river bed =100.00m
 RL of lowest water level (LWL) = 102.00m
 RL of NWL = 115.00m
 RL of HFL =120.00m
 Population to be served=50,000
 Average water demand =200lpd
 Assume any other suitable data required

Solution:
• Average water demand = 50000*200lpd=10Mlpd
• Maximum water demand=1.8*10mld=18Mlpd
• Assume the pumping to take place for 16hr/day. Thus, the discharge
to be pumped:
Qd = 18*16*60*60 sec = 0.3125m3/sec
i)Design of Intake well

1. Design of openings:
• Let us provide rectangular shaped inlet well with openings provided
at three levels.
 one layer of opening shall be kept below LWL=102.00m,
 the other at the middle layer just below the NWL=115.00m
 the third may kept below HFL stage =120.00m, and

• Assuming these opening shall be fitted with bar screen made of 20mm dia.
steel bar of say 50mm opening (clear), and also let the velocity through the
bar screen be limited to 0.16m/sec.
• From the formula Q =A*V,

A=0.3125/0.16 = 1.95m2
• Let us provide 1m height of screen opening. Then, the clear length of

opening required is 1.95m.
• Number of opening required=1.95/0.05=39
• Number of bar = 38bar
• Length required by 20mm dia. of bar = 38*0.02=0.76
• Length of total screen =1.95+0.76=2.71, take 2.8

• Let us provide 2parts of screen for each level with a size of each 1m width
*1.4m length. Thus,
 For 1st level - 2 screen parts will be provided b/n RL=102.00m to
101.00m each having 1.4m length;
 For the 2nd level, 2 screen parts will similarly be provided b/n RL
115.00m-114.00m, and
 For the 3rd level, 2 screen parts b/n RL 120.00m and119.00m as shown
in the figure.
2. Design of inlet well:
• These part can be fitted in an oblong well consisting of rectangular length
3m (sufficient to fix 2 bar screen each length 1.4m) and provide with circular
ends with a width of say 2m.
• Assume this inlet well can be sunk in to river bed by say 3m below the river
bed, as to provide space for accumulation of sand and silt so let keep the
bottom of the intake well be 97.00m.

• Also let us provide 2m free board from HFL then the top of the inlet will be
RL=122.00m.
• Therefore, the total height of the intake will be:
=122.00-97.00m= 25.00m
ii- Design of gravity pipe connecting intake well and jack well
• The intake pipe shall be designated to flow by gravity at maximum velocity

(1.2m/sec).
• From the formula, Qd=V*A, for V=1.2m/sec and Qd=0.1325m3/sec, the
diameter, d = 0.58m, take 60cm dia RCC intake pipe.
• From Manning’s formula, V=1/n*S1/2R2/3, take n=0.017 to calculate the
gradient of the pipe. Thus,
S=1in 200


3. Design of small river intake
• The first step for design of river intake is deciding orientation of the
structure from the diversion weir.
• The main criterion for orientation selection is the minimization of the
vortex zones which occurs at the diversion entrance
• The orientation angle is recommended b/n 30 to 90o
Diversion Angle, 

• Water flowing through the inlet section does not normally follow the
abrupt curvature of the side wall
• Water enters the canal in reality under an angle Ψ
• An area of stagnation and of slow vortex develops in the vicinity of
the entrance wall

Typical components of river intake structure are:
1 - The intake entrance
2 - The entrance sill
3 - The intake chamber
4 - The connecting structures: abutment and
training walls at the intake entrance and
exit
5 - The trash racks and cleaning equipment,
control gates, stoplogs
6 - Sediment excluders
See Figure

• Entrance Sill: The usual shape is rectangular.
• Curved upper edge of the sill reduces the
intensity of local vortices at the entrance
• Common height of the sill is:
0.3 to 0.5 m < hs < 2/3 h
Where,
hs = the sill height
h = the water depth in front of the intake

• Trashrack is a barrier to remove large
floating objects in the water way.
• A coarse sediment excluder is provided
to minimize the sediment deposits in
front of the intake entrance.
• The sediment excluder consists of two
parts:
 a trap space, achieved by having a
sloping chamber floor
 a conduit of moderate size (1.0m)
controlled by valve and connecting
the sloping floor with downstream

• The input data required for design:
• Intake discharge, QD
• The minimum water level required for
the conveyance of the design
discharge, h
• An initial geometry of the intake
structure
• The entrance velocity, it is
recommended to be rather low, Ve <
1.0m/s.
QD = Ve*(We*he)

• A small entrance velocity yields operational advantages:
 reduced local head losses
 low probability of catching coarse sediment
 easy condition for trash rack cleaning
• A large entrance velocity yields economic advantages:
 Reduced entrance area
 Reduced intake structure and possibly NWL
• The average velocity should be smaller than the average river
velocity to minimize silt entry.
• Usual range of velocity generating small entrance head losses is 0.3
to 0.6m/s while generally recommended range is 0.8 to 1.2m/s.

• The simplified assumptions which are acceptable for the design are:
 Assume the height of the intake sill
hs = 0.5He
NWL = Bel + 1.5He = Bel + de
Where,
Bel = approach channel bottom
elevation;
He = the height of the water
above the sill
de = flow depth before the intake
entrance

Hydraulic design of a small intake

Ane = Qd / Ve where: Ane is net entrance area
Ane = We . He = net entrance area
Age = ktr . Kel .Ane
Where,
ktr and Kel = coefficients reflecting the entrance obstruction
produced by partly clogged trash rack, usually ktr = 1.30, Kel = 1.25
Age = gross entrance area

Normal Condition:
de = H e + hs
Where,
hs = the height of the intake sill. As an indication hs > 0.5He, and
in any case take hs > 0.30m
• The condition NWL>minimum water level required for the

conveyance of the design discharge (RWL).
RWL = Bel + 1.5He He = 2/3 (RWL – Bel )

• It follows:
3QD
Wge  ktr .kcl
2RWL  Bel Ve

Flood condition:
• During flood, there are some heavy load sediment.
• Thus, the sill height should be at least hs>1/3de.
• If the maximum water level is significantly larger during floods than
the low water stages, the sill elevation must be raised.
de = MWL - Bel
hs = 1/3 (MWL - Bel )

Thank You
Section of a typical twin well type of a river intake

Section of a single well type of a river intake

Reservoir intake
Typical reservoir intake constructed in the dam itself

Simple concrete block – submerged intake

Dry intake tower standing in the river or reservoir

Wet intake tower standing in the river or reservoir

Direct intake

Cat walk and well cover design


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Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Habtamu Hailu (PhD)

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

• Intake structures are common

• Intake is constructed watertight with

• Intake is designed in such a way that

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

• It is located on the river at a place where

2. Single well type See Figure

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

• Screening is a unit operation that removes suspended matter from

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

• Design of Intake Pipe:

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

i)Design of Intake well

 the other at the middle layer just below the NWL=115.00m

 the third may kept below HFL stage =120.00m, and

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

• From the formula Q =A*V,

• Let us provide 1m height of screen opening. Then, the clear length of

• Number of opening required=1.95/0.05=39

• Number of bar = 38bar

• Length required by 20mm dia. of bar = 38*0.02=0.76

• Length of total screen =1.95+0.76=2.71, take 2.8

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

• The intake pipe shall be designated to flow by gravity at maximum velocity

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

NWL = Bel + 1.5He = Bel + de

Advanced Hydraulic Structures for Water Supply

Hydraulic design of a small intake