MOVIE: SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES

Water intake management, machine regulation and fee calculation all require flow rates, levels or solid flows to be measured at various points in facilities. While continuous monitoring and the automation of gates and other electromechanical control equipment have lightened the workload in the field, new needs have arisen in connection with the revitalisation of watercourses.

Owners of hydroelectric schemes are required to ensure minimum flows downstream of reservoirs and to generate artificial floods periodically in order to reduce environmental impacts. This helps maintain hydraulic and sediment dynamics that are favourable to flora and fish fauna.

Anticipating regime changes

The latest means of processing and analysing certain measurements are heralding new prospects. By combining this information with that gathered from other sources, HYDRO is studying, for example, how to automate the opening of water intakes based on weather forecasts and targeted flow measurements in a catchment area. Measurements gathered over long periods make it possible to anticipate changes in the hydraulic regime and thus proactively adapt the operation of facilities. Constructional adaptations – raising an impoundment, modifying catchment capacities, improving grit removal – can be scheduled in advance.

Expertise available to local authorities

This expertise is also invaluable to local authorities, which, these days, are concerned about their water resources and are interested in services such as evaluating and monitoring spring flows, routing flows in a drinking water network, monitoring wastewater load, monitoring and controlling wastewater treatment plants, etc.

The river monitoring services offered by HYDRO are of interest to owners of hydroelectric schemes, as well as to public authorities. 

A level detector can detect artificial or natural flooding.