Unsteady Spillway Inlet Conditions at the Weatherford Water Supply Reservoir

by Steven L. Barfuss, (A.M.ASCE), Utah State Univ Foundation, Logan, United States,
J. Paul Tullis, (M.ASCE), Utah State Univ Foundation, Logan, United States,
Stuart R. Wilson, (M.ASCE), Utah State Univ Foundation, Logan, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Hydraulic Engineering

Abstract:

The Weatherford Water Supply Reservoir, in Weatherford, Texas has had frequent lake-side flooding and has experienced unstable spillway operation. Residents complained that the water had risen more than it should during past flood events. Vibrations and noise generated at the inlet have been annoying and have caused some maintenance problems. HDR was hired by the Weatherford Municipal Utility Board to perform a comprehensive study of the service spillway after a December 1991 flood event caused the spillway inlet to fail due to flotation. The objective of the study was to determine the cause of the problems and develop alternatives for reducing the lake-side flooding and the instability at the inlet. The problems were traced to unstable pressure conditions in the tunnel. It was recommended that the existing semi-circular inlet be replaced with a four-cycle radial labyrinth and that modifications be made to the tunnel and outlet structure to increase the tunnel's flow capacity.

Subject Headings: Spillways | Inlets (waterway) | Floods | Water supply | Reservoirs | Municipal water | Water tunnels | Texas | United States

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