Spillway Design for Small Dams Introduction: This course presents an overview of the features that go into the design of spillways for small dams. Small dams in this course refer to a wide variety of water impoundments that includes detention basins, municipal ponds, agricultural ponds, and others. This course is based on a

A concrete weir or chute is often used as a principal spillway for dams. The principal spillways is the first spillways to experience flow after a storm when the pool rises above the normal pool level. For the spillway to be effective, it must be clear of obstructions, in good structural condition, and on a solid foundation.

The Bureau of Reclamation provides a comprehensive guide on the design and construction of small dams.

planning and designing earth dams and associated spillways. It provides uniform criteria for earth dams and reservoirs. NRCS plans, designs, and constructs complex dams under widely varying conditions and it is essential to construct these dams with …

Al ternative energy dissipators, such as the baffled apron chute or spillway, should be considered for these conditions. The recommended design has chute blocks, baffle piers, and a dentated end sill. All design data are presented on figure 9-40. The length is rather short, approximately three times d (the. conjugate depth after the jump).

A dam safely passes a flood event by a combination of storing water in the lake and passing water through its spillways. Earthen embankments are not designed to have floodwaters overtop them. An emergency spillway should not pass over the crest …

This course is intended for engineers who need to analyze, design, or retrofit a spillway for a small dam. The overall objective of this course is to provide a detailed analysis of the various types of spillways and to explain the hydraulics of each type.

Basic construction details for earth channel side spillways are outlined in Appendix B (Type Drawing II - Spillway for Small Earth Dam). The spillway alignment is usually curved to keep the spillway away from the embankment.

The document provides guidelines for designing small dams. It discusses classifying dams according to their use, hydraulic design, or construction materials. Key considerations for design include hydrologic and meteorological data, engineering surveys, geotechnical investigations, and environmental impacts.

Earthen embankments are not designed to have floodwaters overtop them. An emergency spillway should not pass over the crest of the dam; it should be located in the abutment area. The Division of Water Resources regulates over 1600 dams in Ohio and has performed thousands of safety inspections.