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RESERVOIR DESIGN CRITERIA by VERNON HART ROSEBRAUGH A THESIS submitted to OREGON STATE COLLEGE in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of CIVIL ENGINEER June 1956
Transcript
Page 1: Reservoir Design Criteria

RESERVOIR DESIGN CRITERIA

by

VERNON HART ROSEBRAUGH

A THESIS

submitted to

OREGON STATE COLLEGE

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

degree of

CIVIL ENGINEER

June 1956

'

Page 2: Reservoir Design Criteria

AP?ROVED:

Redacted for Privacy

Pnofessor of Ctvtl Englneentng

In Charge of MaJor

Redacted for PrivacyEead of Depantment of Clvl} Englneerlng

Redacted for Privacy

Gbairman of Englneerlng School Gnaduate Comlttee

Deen of Graduate Sehoo1

Redacted for Privacy

Date thesls ls presented .,u-h.* t zs-6T-Ilped by V. H. Rosebr.augh.

Page 3: Reservoir Design Criteria

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author wishes to acknowledge

assistance and encouragement from

Professors R. F. Morse and W. F.

Robohn of the Civil Engineering

Department of Kansas State College.

Appreciation is extended also to

Professors L. s. Hobson and D. A.

Nesmith of the Engineering Experiment

Station for assistance and advice in

pursuing the research and in obtain­

ing necessary data.

Page 4: Reservoir Design Criteria

• •

TABLE OF CONTENrs

CHAPTER PAGE

I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

II. FACTORS AFFECTING STORAGE . . . 3

III. SUMMARY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS • 6

IV. RECORD OF PRECIPITATION 12

v. SOURCES OF DATA . . . . . . . . . . . 23

VI. OBSERVED RESERVOIR DATA . . . . . . 26 VII. COMPUTATIONS . • • . • • . . . . . . . . . 30

VIII. COMPUTED DATA AND GRAPHS • . . . . . . . 36

IX. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . 47 X. BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • • • . . . . . . . 52

Page 5: Reservoir Design Criteria

• •

• • • • •

.LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

.

FIGURE PAGE

I. LOCATION OF SURFACE STORAGE RESERVOIRS . • 7

II. AVERAGE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION FOR THE

EASTERN DIVISION • • . . . . . . . • . . . • . 8

III. CUMULATIVE EXCESS PRE CI PI TAT I 0 N, ZONE 1 . . . 13

IV. CUMULATIVE EXCESS PRECIPITATION, ZONE 2 . . . 14

v. CUMULATIVE EXCESS PRECIPITATION, ZONE 3 . . . 15

VI. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION

MANHATTAN, KANSAS, ZONE 1 • • . • • • . . . . 18

VII. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION

WICHITA, KANSAS, ZONE l . • • . . . . . • . • 19

VIII. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION

EMPORIA, KANSAS, ZONE 2 . • . . • . 20

IX. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION

INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS, ZONE 2 • . . . . . • . • 21

x. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION

COLUMBUS, KANSAS, ZONE 3 • . . . . . . . . • . 22

XI. MANY KANSAS RESERVOIRS WERE NEARLY DRY • . 25

XII. A FEW SPILLWAYS HAVE BEEN RAISED . . . . . . . 25

XIII. SILTATION HAS REDUCED VOLUME OF LAKES . . . . 35

XIV. WATER RESERVOIRS SERVE MANY PURPOSES . • . 35

XV. ADJUSTED DRAINAGE AREAS . . . . . . . 42 XVI. ADJUSTED DRAINAGE AREAS . . . . . . . . • . . 43

Page 6: Reservoir Design Criteria

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIGURE PAGE

XVII. ADJUSTED RESERVOIR VOLUMES . . . . . 44 XVIII. ADJUSTED RESERVOIR VOLUMES . . . . . . . . . 45

XIX. VALUES OF K' FACTORS • • • ••••••• 46

XX. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION

HOLTON, KANSAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • 48

Page 7: Reservoir Design Criteria

• •

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE

I. OBSERVED RESERVOIR DATA . . . . . . • 28

II. OBSERV:g;D RESERVOIR DATA . . . . . . . . . 29

III. COMPUTED RESERVOIR DATA . . . . . . . . . 38

IV. COMPUTED RESERVOIR DATA • . . . . 39

v. COMPUTED RESERVOIR DATA . • . . . . . . . 40

VI. COMPUTED RESERVOIR DATA • • • . . . . . . • . 41

VII. SUMMARY OF AVERAGES OF RATIOS . • . . . . 49

Page 8: Reservoir Design Criteria

RESERVOIR DESIGN CRITERIA

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to devise an empirical

method of determining design criteria for small surface

water supply reservoirs. The Engineering Experiment

Station of Kansas State College sponsored a project that

was aimed at this important problem. The project had as

its aims the determination of the apparent inadequacies

of reservoir water supplies for municipalities of Kansas

during drought periods and the development of criteria

to guide future design.

A prolonged drought has existed in Kansas since the

extremely heavy rainfall of 1951. During this time many

of the water supplies for cities in the State have been

inadequate to provide for normal demands. The water

history has shown a record of restricted use, increased

rates to reduce use, and even the hauling of water by

truck and rail to supplement the limited available

supply. The inconvenience, loss of revenue, and adverse

publicity have been of great importance to the cities in

the eastern part of the State that have depended upon

storage of surface runoff for their water supplies.

A search of published material on hydraulics,

hydrology, and water supply yielded a great deal of data

Page 9: Reservoir Design Criteria

2

on the solution of specific problems. However, only

fragmentary clues were discovered which could suggest a

method of approach to the establishment of general design

criteria. Inquiries addressed to Governmental agencies,

and College and University Experiment Stations in the area

west of the Mississippi River showed no record of similar

studies. Since no precedent was available to guide the

research along this line, a new approach had to be de­

vised.

Page 10: Reservoir Design Criteria

3

CHAPTER II

FACTORS AFFECTING STORAGE

The drought that has extended from October of 1951

until the present has been one of the most severe the

State of Kansas has known. The precipitation record for

the State has shown a steadily-increasing rainfall de­

ficiency from that month until the present time. With

only a few exceptions the monthly precipitation has been

below normal since then, with few "wet" months to provide

recharge of surface storage and underground reserves. This

shortage of rainfall has, of course, been the primary

reason for the trouble with water reservoirs. The dura­

tion and severity of drought period over which many of

the reservoirs were designed to provide storage were

probably underestimated.

Another factor contributing to the water shortage

in many cities has been the rapid increase in urban pop­

ulation in the years since 1930. Although the state­

wide population of Kansas increased only three percent

from 1930 to 1950, a migration from farm to city has

resulted in an increased rate of growth of cities, es­

pecially in the eastern third of the State. Wichita,

for example, has seen its own population double in the

last two decades. Many other cities have had less spec­

tacular but still large increases in population.

Page 11: Reservoir Design Criteria

4 An unexpectedly large increase in water consumption

has occurred. The American city dweller has been using

160 gallons per day in recent years, an increase of 60%

in the last 20 years. The recent municipal use of water

in Kansas has been 155 gallons per day per capita (4, p.

65), slightly less than the National average, but still six

times as much as the rural citizen used. Washing ma- r

chines, air conditioners, lawn watering, and all the con­

veniences associated with city living have contributed

to the rise in water consumption. There has been no

recent development to indicate that the rate of use of

this important commodity will not continue to rise.

The silting of reservoirs has resulted in a decrease

in the effective volume of storage. The deposition of

silt in reservoirs has increased materially in recent

years due to increased cultivation of land in reservoir

watersheds. As a result of siltation studies, cities

have reported reductions of storage volume up to 50% of

the original capacity.

The effect of evaporation has probably been under­

estimated. It has not been unusual to have six or seven

feet of evaporation loss during a dry year. This loss

has been equal to half of the average reservoir depth in

many cases. Since dry spells have usually been ac~

companied by hot weather and sunshine, the effect of

Page 12: Reservoir Design Criteria

5 evaporation has tended to increase the shortage problem

materially.

Seepage losses have been very difficult to evaluate,

and have been appreciable in many installations. Many

of the reservoirs were built about 20 years ago in the

days of W. P. A. The designs often were less than the

best and engineering data for dams in the area were

not available at that time. Evidence has been found to

indicate that excessive seepage losses have resulted,

some to the point of having caused partial structural

failure. It has been necessary to include seepage los­

ses with evaporation losses in analyses of installations

in most cases.

There has been a complete absence of data on run­

off from watersheds of the size that normally are used

to charge water supply reservoirs. The stream gaug~ng

that has been done in the area has measured the larger

streams. Since most of the drainage areas used for

water supplies feed small streams, no data have been

made available for use in computing runoff for the

smaller reservoirs.

Page 13: Reservoir Design Criteria

6

CHAPTER III

SUMMARY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS

The cities in Kansas which have depended upon surface

water supplies were situated in the eastern third of the

State. The locations of these cities have been plotted ·

in Figure I. The dependence of populations in this area

upon surface runoff has been dictated by rainfall pattern

and subsurface geology.

The average monthly rainfall for the eastern division

of the State nas been plotted in Figure II (8, p. 23).

The major portion of precipitation has normally occurred

as rainfall during the spring and summer months. Since

the water-equivalent of the snow fall has been small in

normal years, most of the moisture received by the land

has run off as it has fallen.

A large portion of the rain in the State has fallen

during thunder showers. Consequently, runoff has fre­

quently been large in proportion to the total fall dur­

ing the rains of high intensity. However, during a

drought when the heavy rains have failed to materialize

and the winter snows have been light, the runoff from

drainage areas has been very small. Winters have often

been the time of the most acute water shortages.

The average annual precipitation in the State has

Page 14: Reservoir Design Criteria

I I

I 23c b I 13n/

120 v \Kr( I I 210

I ...... I,~?I ~0~I/

OJ'1\, jI 11s:.

~

,t 0 I 0 19 •'I 15CI I ~~·. 4

~ '\lI <i,_t

o2oI '\'' '""' r ·

I ,,.,\

~~ \) I\"' 0I ~~

220I ''~"'b. t 10

I ~\l

I[ ,, (\\

/I a "'\ -·I 6 ···~a 170 ~I00

02502 /I 7 ....

14o ·~·· I I \ ~/

I ~ I '\'lll:(.

016 1'"'\I \ 't''270 t.l ..''"•IJ

I 240 I •

Vo5 I ..

IJ ) II 7 It -/4on30 35 {Approximate Average Annual Rainfall)

FIG. I. LOCATION OF SURFACE STORAGE RESERVOIRS

..

Page 15: Reservoir Design Criteria

• •

8

~ 4~~--~-+--~~~*--+--+--+--+--+~

~ 0 ~ H

~ 3r--r--r--¥~~~~~~~~~--+--+~H

0 ~

H 8

~ 2r-~--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--~ H ~ H 0

~ ~ 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~44~

. ~ 0

~ 0 ~

>

FIG. II. AVERAGE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION FOR THE EASTERN DIVISION.

varied quite uniformly from about 15 inches in the west

to over 40 inches in the southeast. All of the surface

storage reservoirs have been located ln the area having

an average annual precipitation in excess of 30 inches

as indicated in Figure I. During years of normal or near

normal rainfall the surface supplies have been adequate.

However, when droughts of long duration have occurred,

the problem of water supply has become critical.

The topography of the area in which surface water

Page 16: Reservoir Design Criteria

9

supplies have been required has prevented the construction

of ideally-shaped reservoirs for water storage. The flat,

rolling country has forced the construction of wide, shal­

low storage areas that have been particularly susceptible

to serious losses through seepage and evaporation.

The underlying layer of impervious limestone has

assisted the runoff in the area but has prevented the

digging of successful wells in nearly all cases. In the

larger river valleys there has been deposited layers of

pervious material. These deposits have enabled some of

the larger cities to make use of shallow wells and infil­

tration galleries for their sources of water. However,

the smaller cities have had to depend upon surface runoff

since they have not had access to water from the larger

streams. One city dug 17 wells in its search for an

adequate water supply during the current drought. The

best well of the group yielded 10 gallons per minute!

All of the factors influencing the construction of

storage reservoirs have tended to make them very expen­

sive. In addition to the cost of the structures in­

volved, the pools themselves covered many acres which

resulted in a loss of tillable land in the reservoir

areas. Since many of the reservoirs were constructed

during a time in which funds we r e difficult to obtain,

many cities probably built the biggest dam they could

Page 17: Reservoir Design Criteria

10

afford and hoped for the best.

Of the cities in Kansas which have depended entirely

upon storage of surface runoff for their water supplies,

70% have had to curtail water use during the three years

immediately preceding June, 1955. This curtailment of

water use generally took the form of restriction of lawn

watering and car washing. However, in the case of two

cities in eastern Kansas, it became necessary to haul

water to supplement the city supply. This hauling of

water entailed a great deal of expense and inconvenience.

In order to increase the available supply of water,

three cities have constructed additional reservoirs and

one has increased the storage volume by de epening the

reservoir area by excavation. Additional storage has been

secured in three cases by ~aising the existing dams, and

other c i ties have supplemented their surf ace supplies by

use of river water and springs, usually at considerable

expense.

The cities served by surface water reservoirs had

small population-equivalent demand for industries. It

was not included in the totals of population served in

this study since it was roughly proportional to the

amount for other cities of equivalent size in eastern

Kansas. Where there were large industries such as oil

refineries they had private supplies for their industrial

Page 18: Reservoir Design Criteria

11

use.

The installation of check dams and farm ponds in

watersheds has reduced runoff from drainage areas. The

use of terraces and contour plowing in erosion control

have also served to reduce the effectiveness of water­

sheds. Check dams, ponds, terraces, and improved farm­

ing methods have helped to reduce siltation of reser­

voirs as partial compensation for their effect in

reducing runoff. All events have pointed toward the

increased use of these devices which have served to

complicate the problem of obtaining adequate quantities

of surface water for municipal use.

Page 19: Reservoir Design Criteria

12

-.CHAPTER IV

RECORD OF PRECIPITATION

Curves of cumulative excess precipitation were plot­

ted for several precipitation-recording stations in east­

ern Kansas. They indicated a definite cycle of alternat­

ing wet and dry periods from about 1840, the time at which

the earliest precipitation records for the area started.

The last four years have been on the downhill side of the

curve, indicating that possibly another dry cycle has

arrived. If the curve repeats its performance of the

past 15 or 20 years, a relatively dry period for the

next several years may be expected.

In the past, continued dry spells have been broken

every two or three years by relatively wet years such as

1935 and 1951 which served to fill reservoirs and at

least partially to recharge ground water supplies.

The eastern portion of the State was arbitrarily

divided into three precipitation zones for this study

as shown in Figure I. The pattern of rainfall record

was plotted for the three zones in Figures III, IV, and

V. The curves for these three illustrations were plot­

ted from precipitation data taken at rainfall recording

stations within the respective zones. The ordinates for

the curves were referred to the average rainfall for the

station at which the record was made.

Page 20: Reservoir Design Criteria

H H

~ ~ 0; E g ~ ~-~

~ z H

~~oi---+--~--+-~---+--4---~-4~~~·~~--~IA+-~--~~#A--+-~---r_,l~~ I\ El Dorado --~){) n ~\ ~ / 11

\ 'M; ' ~\~~+-w~ic--hit~~~~~~~~~~~'~N~~~V~~~~~~~~\~~~~~~ \ rV'~ l ~~ 1 \\~~ l'flf'~~~\

v \ I \ \j /~ vrv ~VA ~ ~~ i~ ~-201---+--rrr-+-_,--~~4---~~--~--+-~--~~,_--~~H--r--~--1

\ I \ ( Council Grove / rJA~1

\1/ \)'~ I v v ~-+--~--~-4--~--~--~~--~--+-~--~--~--~~---r--+-~

Manhattan~rv

1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950

FIG . III . CUMULATIVE EXCESS PRECIPITATION, ZONE 1.

o >

Page 21: Reservoir Design Criteria

+50 {\

r~\

/ Emporia I~~~ .-'\ /"... .&. ~\ /r; \\\ "-'V

1\ t \ J ~"\v v \(\ v \ ~~~~ \''\ A r-...

M ~~~ v;I ~~~\ /'J / 1\\ \ I Irv; \ " A

\ J \I J v

"\~,lll'v' VI ~1/!_}{'_~'\t I I\ ~ v ~ 1 Independence ~Vj\ I \I ~\ \_ lrJj

! .. D\0-Paola

~:Leavenworth v

0' \ II

"-""

~ H 8 ~

~ -25 g Iii 0

rll -50 r:r:l ::r:: 0 z H

-75

1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950

FIG. IV. CUMULATIVE EXCESS PRECIPITATION, ZONE 2.

..

Page 22: Reservoir Design Criteria

+40

~ H 8 j - 20 ~ p 0

r:r.. 0 -40 Cl)

rx:l::q 0 z H

-60

1870 1880

FIG.

{\ A

J'h l\ \ \ II 7/'~\Columbus~ r-,

( y

~ !A II TI/\ 1\

LN1\/ IV' ""-"

~"~~ \ I / \:\\ "'V\jIN I y

v t1/ ...

~Fort Scott _\ I ~ ~:Pittsburg

A

1\ /\If\ v \J

It 1\ ~\ ~ If 1 \ ~ \\ \ ~\ f/) v \\ \\ r( \ \7 \

1890 1900 1910 1920

V. CUMULATIVE EXCESS PRECIPITATION,

1930 1940 1940

ZONE 3 .

.,

Page 23: Reservoir Design Criteria

16 -.In order to determine the span of years over which

a reservoir might have to supply storage, curves of

monthly cumulative excesses and deficiencies of rainfall

were plotted. These cumulative curves were plotted for

the longest of the dry periods of record and provided a

graphical representation of the continuing droughts.

From these graphs , duration and severity of dry spells

were compared. These curves were plotted in Figures

VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X from data drawn from records

taken at selected gaging stations within the three rain­

fall zones.

In his paper on reservoir design, T. B. Robinson

used curves of cumulative monthly rainfall deficiency

to compare drought severities for the State of Kansas

(10, p. 27). He plotted curves from data for the

average rainfall for the State to compare the drought

of 1932 - 1935 with the current dry spell (1952 through

1955). He found that the current drought has been

more severe up to the time of his writing (early Spring

of 1955) than the drought of 1932 - 1935.

The monthly excess precipitation curves plotted in

this study indicated that the droughts that have oc­

curred during the lives of the reservoirs being studied

have been as severe as any of record. The drought

that has extended from 1952 through 1955 has been as

great in deficiency of rainfall and as prolonged as

Page 24: Reservoir Design Criteria

17

any except the drought of 1936-1941.

This information on relative severity would provide

criteria for reservoir design with respect to probable

severity and duration of future droughts. If the cur­

rent drought (1952-1955) should continue, it could

become the most severe of record and should serve as

the basis tor future reservoir design.

Page 25: Reservoir Design Criteria

0 ]' I I

1'\1873 - 1876

1\\ ~r\ \~~\

1952-1~~--' ~ I:\ A

1935 --1\ ~(\ '\ 1936 - 1941

I I I I I • I

...L I I

1932 -\ / ""' \ ~~ //\~ \---J

I ... v \j\

I r I I

1\ \

I

" ~ ""

J I

YEARS BY MON'lHS

FIG. VI. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION MANHATTAN, KANSAS, ZONE 1.

..

Page 26: Reservoir Design Criteria

0

-50

~ r ~/' r-.,.

\\;\~ ~ \ '\..--,

[\ ' ~ \ ~- ~\ \ ~ -­ I

1936 - 193g___;>v'~k:-F'~ \ ~1931 - 1935

~ 1\:7 "\)

\

~ 1952 - 1955~

\ \..,

l l I

L "'­I

I l l

YEARS I

BY MONTHS I I

l I

i I

FIG. VII . CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS WICHITA, KANSAS, ZONE 1.

PRECIPITATION

Page 27: Reservoir Design Criteria

0

P:. 0

(/) -25 6 ~

z H

-30

1\

~ ""' ~

I I I I I I I I

I r I

t:A\ rA"" I ~

~rr ~ ~ h-;1930- 1935 r\

~ ~

\-1917­ ~~ I-­

1955~ ~ ~~h\1952 -

V\

~t\P · ~

Dv-IV v~

I I

I I I

YEARS BY MONTHS

FIG. VIII. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION EMPORIA, KANSAS, ZONE 2.

(

'rl/u I

1\.) 0

' I

..

Page 28: Reservoir Design Criteria

0

~ -5 ~ ~ H .::X: ~ {/) Cl)

- 10

- 15

t3 - 20 ><IZl

~ -25 H 8 .::X: -30 ~

~ g -35

1\ \\

\ '

I I

{'../

""' \) \ r~ \ ""' " ~I'_}\ ~ :'\. ' '('-1931 - 1935 /

~~ ~ ~ v 1\_ I" 1952 - 1955/ "" ~ \ / __ ­ v

/'o... I .__\ ~~Kl ""'1916 - 1920

I I I I I

v ~

-50

I L I I I r I I I I I I

YEARS BY MONTHS

FIG. IX . CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS , ZONE 2 .

Page 29: Reservoir Design Criteria

0

-50

1 I _l _jI I I I

~ /\ _A

~~ ~v~ ll'...

\~~)1\~ v~ ~\

_Lj__L_L_L J.l i_l_l

I

~/f'..

~ 1917 - 1922--.... 1'---.

'i'~~ /'.. I ) \'J- ' ~ ~ ~ ~ I./'\ I

\ vl'~/'--J "'--lj I ~ 1931 - 1935--\~·~

" J M ~~1\/\ j_

~952 - 1955--A ~~A "_7'V

1936 - 1941

v \ v /

".J

'

I I I YEARS BY MONTHS

FIG. X. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATI ON (\)

COLUMBUS, KANSAS, ZONE 3. (\)

Page 30: Reservoir Design Criteria

23

CHAPTER V

SOURCES OF DATA

Data on water supply installations for use in this

study were obtained by interviewing city officials,

consulting engineers, various agencies, and by directly

observing the sites of the reservoirs.

During the month of June of 1955, the writer visited

each city in Kansas that depended upon surface storage

for its water supply. City engineers, water superinten­

dents, and other city officials were very cooperative

in supplying data and showing the cities' water supply

facilities. Where information was unavailable from the

city officials, the consulting engineers hired by the

city were contacted and much additional data was thus

obtained. Many State agencies and the U. s. Department

of Agriculture have also been very helpful.

Unfortunately, much data was unavailable. Some of

the reservoirs were constructed many years ago and no

plans were drawn, or were so sketchy that information

on volume, pool area, and watershed area were unobtain­

able. In a few cases, plans had been misplaced or had

just disappeared. Where responsible firms of consult­

ing engineers had been hired, complete information

needed for this study was generally available.

Page 31: Reservoir Design Criteria

24 One item of desirable information that was unavail­

able in almost all cases was a stage-volume curve. Cities

interested in having complete data on record should insist

that this curve be included in a set of plans for a water

reservoir.

Photographs of each installation were taken from

angles that showed the characteristics of the watersheds

feeding the storage reservoirs. Where intakes were

visible, they were included in at least one of the views.

Data for plotting curves of cumulative excess pre­

cipitation (Figures III to X, inclusive) were taken from

rainfall records published by the Weather Bureau of the

U. S. Department of Commerce.

Page 32: Reservoir Design Criteria

25

FIG . :'{I . HANY KANSAS R2SER VC IRS WERE NEARLY DRY

FIG . XII . A FEI"J SPILLWAYS HAVE BEEN RAISED

Page 33: Reservoir Design Criteria

26

I

CHAPTER VI

OBSERVED RESERVOIR DATA

Numerical data deemed necessary for computations used

in this study were values for population served, drainage

area of watershed, reservoir volume, reservoir pool area,

and average rainfall. These data were tabulated in Tables

and II. Where numerical values for required items were

considered unreliable, they were omitted from the tabula­

tions.

Population served was determined by inquiry of the

city official, such as city manager or water superintend­

ent, who had knowledge of the number of people using

water. In many cities the figure obtained was an estimate.

Most cities supplied water to all residents and, in some

cases, to a small rural population.

The drainage area of watersheds was taken from plans

on .file, aerial photographs, and, in a few cases, from an

estimate by a city official. The areas, in acres, of the

watersheds were believed to be quite accurate as recorded

in Table I.

The figures for reservoir volume, like the drainage

areas, were obtained from a variety of sources. In many

cases the original plans were available, and in others,

measurements had been made recently in sedimentation

srudies. A few of the volumes recorded in Table I were

Page 34: Reservoir Design Criteria

27

estimates by city officials. The volumes, in millions of

gallons, as used in the computations were probably suf­

ficiently accurate.

The areas of the reservoir pool when full were re­

corded in Table II. The areas in acres were, in most

instances, educated guesses. They were used to provide a

comparison of proportions between reservoir character­

istics and to indicate a measure of the evaporation losses.

Average annual rainfall for each reservoir installa­

tion was obtained by scaling from a map of average annual

rainfall for Kansas (~, p. 24). The values were determined

by interpolation between plotted lines of equal precip­

itation (isohyetal lines). Units used in computation were

inches of rainfall per year and were tabulated in Table II.

General topographic features of drainag e areas were

observed for subjective comparison between the several

watersheds. An estimate of percentage of cultivated land

in each watershed was made to provide comparison of drain­

age area characteristics.

Page 35: Reservoir Design Criteria

28

TABLE I. OBSERVED RESERVOIR DATA

City People Served

Drainage Area

(acres)

Reservoir Volume (M.G.)

1 Altamont 1,300 1,100 26 2 Augusta 6,000 4,992 750 3 Carbondale 450 -­ -­4 Counci1 Grove 3,000 8,000 3,000 5 Edna 450 150 45

6 El Dorado 12,500 43,520 4,500 6o Old reservoir 12,500 21,120 1,000 6n New reservoir 12,500 22,400 3,500 7 Emporia 12,000 10,240 2,020 8 Eureka 4,000 9,600 600

9 Gardner & N.A.S. 3,200 3,300 760 10 Garnett 2,700 1,600 302 11 Herington 4,500 11,500 554 12 Holton 2,300 954 220 13 Horton 2,700 7,040 380

14 Howard 1,300 6,500 250 15 Louisburg 700 500 94 16 ·Moline 900 -­ -­17 Moran 550 -­ -­18n Olathe (new res.) 5,000 10,300 1,250

180 Olathe (old res.) 5,000 -­ 140 19 Osage City 1,900 3,100 150 20 Osawatomie 4,000 600 95 21 Oskaloosa 500 350 67 22 Pleasanton 1,200 755 -­23n Sabetha (new res.) 2,000 5,882 409 23o Sabetha (old res.) 2,000 5,882 205 24 Sedan 2,000 2,880 175 25 Severy 500 1,200 23 26 Spring Hill 600 742 26

27 Wellington 9,000 11,520 1,100 28 Yates Center 2,250 2,880 240

Page 36: Reservoir Design Criteria

--

--

--

----

--

--

29

TABLE II. OBSERVED RESERVOIR DATA

1 2 3

~ 6 6o 6n 7 8

9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18n

18o 19 20 21 22

23n 230 24 25 26

27 28

City

Altamont Augusta Carbondale Council Grove Edna

El Dorado Old reservoir New reservoir

Emporia Eureka

Gardner & N.A.S. Garnett Herington Holton Horton

Howard Louisburg Moline Moran Olathe (new res.)

Olathe (old res.) Osage City Osawatomie Oskaloosa Pleasanton

Sabetha (new res.) · Sabetha (old res.) Sedan Severy Spring Hill

Wellington Yates Center

People Served

1,300 6,000

450 3,000

450

12,500 12,500 12,500 12,000 4,000

3,200 2,700 4,500 2,300 2,700

1,300 700 900 550

5,000

5,000 1,900 4,000

500 1,200

2,000 2,000

"2,000 500 600

9,000 2,250

Full Pool Area

(acres)

13 250

434 12

1235 365 870 404

100 63

59 200

--60

148

49 22 23 26

120 65 . 10 15

340 120

Average Rainfall (inches)

40 34 36 33 40

34 34 34 35 36

38 38 32 35 35

36 38 36 38 38

38 36 38 36 39

33 33 37 36 38

33 37

Page 37: Reservoir Design Criteria

30

CHAPTER VII

COMPUTATIONS

The analysis of the characteristics of water supply

and storage reservoirs for small cities posed a difficult

problem. There were so many variables involved that each

problem seemed to be unique. The difficulties were

complicated by the fact that the reservoirs were located

on watersheds of small creeks for which there were no

available flow records.

It was anticipated that any theoretical approach

would involve so many variables that it would be un­

wieldy. Another difficulty would have been lack of re­

liable data on such items as seepage, siltation, evapo­

ration, runoff, use, and other ~actors that would have

been difficult to evaluate. For these and other reasons

it was decided to attempt an empirical approach.

Upon close study, it became obvious that any guide

to future design must be in analysis of existing instal­

lations expressed in general terms. Moreover, closer

inspection of the watersheds indicated a general similar­

ity of topography of the drainage areas of the reservoirs

studied. Gently rolling hills with approximately 50%

cultivation was the general rule, with minor variations

from this figure. The shapes of the reservoir storage

areas generally were quite similar and the positions and

Page 38: Reservoir Design Criteria

31

types of retaining works, while of many different forms,

were of no importance in this study.

A decisi on was made t~ attempt to correlate the im­

portant characteristics of the reservoirs and drainage ·

areas, making use of the general similarities of the

several sites. From such correlation, values might be

derived which could serve as guides for future design.

Such guides would have to be used with caution and a full

understanding of the bases for their derivation.

It was felt that four variable features were of

primary importance in reservoir performance. These were

population served, area of watershed, volume of storage,

and average rainfall. Such factors as seepage, siltation,

variation in consumer use and evaporation had to be con­

sidered to be minor or common to all the reservoirs in

some fixed proportion. Where some of these secondary ·

factors might be expected to be important in a reservoir

design, compensation for them would· have to be made for

the individual installation.

It appeared from an investigation of the successful

reservoirs that a deficiency in drainage area could be at

least partially compensated for by an increased volume

of storage. The reverse also appeared to be true, and

both seemed to be reasonable. These compensating effects

suggested combining both area and volume with population

served in a factor adjusted for average rainfall.

Page 39: Reservoir Design Criteria

32

In adjusting for averag e rainfall, the effectiveness

of watershed area and storage volume were adjusted pro­

,portionately to 40 inches of annual precipitation. In

other words, an acre of drainage area or a million gal­

lons of potential storage volume in an area in which the

average rain.fall was 38 inches were assumed to be 38/40

as effective as similar quantities in a 40-inch rainfall

area.

The figure of 40 inches was used in the computations

to express the ratio in terms of the maximum average rain­

fall zone for the area of the State in which the investi­

gated reservoirs were located. This procedure provided a

common base for comparison of the effectiveness of the

reservoirs with their attendant drainage areas in the

three rainfall zones.

After areas and volumes were adjusted for average

rainfall, preliminary plottings of the adjusted values

against population served were made. These gr&phs

seemed to indicate that approximately two (2) adjusted

drainage acres and 100,000 gallons of adjusted storage

volume were required mininru.m values for each person

served. Further examination of the plots showed that

the drainage areas and storage volumes did tend to com­

pensate for each other's deficiencies.

The expression finally decided upon to show the

Page 40: Reservoir Design Criteria

33

relationship between the selected primary factors was

written as

0.5 AK' • ----- + 2P

where K 1 = the derived factor

A = the adjusted drainage area in acres

V = the adjusted reservoir volume in

millions of gallons

P = the population served

This expression for K 1 obviously was not a true

algebraic equation and was not intended to be one. It

was dimensionally incorrect since ratios of acres per

person and millions of gallons per person can not be prop­

erly added. The K 1 factor was intended to be used as a

basis for comparison between proposed and existing reser­

voirs. The expression was set up so that the minimum

values of two adjusted drainage acres and 100,000 gallons

of adjusted storage volume per person served would give a

K 1 value of 1.00.

Computations of ratios of adjusted drainage area per

person served and adjusted volume of storage per person

served were made . These data were required in the com­

putation of the K 1 factor. They also served to provide

a comparison of individual installations and to deter­

mine the measure of compensation between runoff area and

storage volume.

Page 41: Reservoir Design Criteria

34 The ratios of reservoir volumes to drainage areas for

the various surface storage reservoirs were computed and

tabulated. These ratios were supplied for the use of

designers wishing to compare design ratios with ratios

for existing installations.

The computation of ratios of reservoir volumes to

pool areas was made to provide a measure of the efficiency

of a reservoir with respect to evaporation and seepage los­

ses.

Some publications have listed suggested values for

the ratio of pool area to drainage area. To provide a

basis of comparison with other installations, these ra­

tios for the reservoirs investigated were computed and

tabulated.

It was deemed desirable to provide as many ratios

of pertinent characteristics as seemed useful for com­

parisons of reservoirs. In the investigation of a pro­

posed design on an empirical basis, as many facets of a

design should be compared as possible. In view of the

history of reservoir operation in the eastern part of

Kansas, no basis for comparison between existing and

proposed reservoirs should be ignored. It was hoped

that this study would provide readily useful information

for such comparisons.

Page 42: Reservoir Design Criteria

35

- . ­.... ~ ....

FIG . XIII . SILTATION HAS REDUCED VOLUME OF LAKES

FIG . XIV. WATER RESERVOIRS SERVE MANY PURPOSES

Page 43: Reservoir Design Criteria

36 -.CHAPTER VIII

COMPUTED DATA AND GRAPHS

Computed values of drainage area and reservoir vol­

ume adjusted for average rainfall were tabulated in

Table III. Values of K' factor calculated from the

adjusted areas and volumes were also listed in Table III.

Tables IV, V, and VI contained ratios that were

thought to be useful for checking against similar ratios

for proposed reservoir designs. In making up the ratios

the same units were used that appeared in Tables I, II,

and III.

Values of adjusted drainage area were plotted against

number of persons served in Figures XV and XVI. Figure

XVI was constructed to show the values for the smaller

cities in more detail than appeared in Figure XV. A

line indicating a drainage area of two acres per person

was shown in both Figures for comparison of drainage

areas.

Figures XVII and XVIII were constructed to show the

storage volume of reservoir installations with the cor­

responding values of persons served. Figure XVIII was

drawn to such a scale that values of storage volume for

the smaller reservoirs would be more plainly shown. A

line showing a capacity of 100,000 gallons per person

was drawn to indicate a possible minimum value for

Page 44: Reservoir Design Criteria

37

storage capacity.

Values of computed K' factors were plotted in Figure

XIX for each city studied for which sufficient data were

available for such computations. Lines indicating values

of 1.0 and 1.2 forK' were drawn to provide bases for

comparison of possible recommended minimum values.

In the plotting of Figures XV to XIX, inclusive,

distinction was made between reservoirs with records of un­

successful operation, adequate reservoirs, and reservoir

installations that were too new to have been tried. The

key numbers by the points plotted on these graphs referred

to the reservoir index numbers indicated in the first

column of Tables I and II.

Page 45: Reservoir Design Criteria

38

TABLE III. COMPUTED RESERVOIR DATA

City Adjusted Drainage

Area

Adjusted Reservoir

Volume

K' Factor

l Altamont 1,100 26 0.31 2 Augusta 4,240 640 0.71 3 Carbondale -­ -­ -­4 Council Grove 6,600 2,475 4.68 5 Edna 150 45 0.58

6 El Dorado 36,990 3,825 2.27 6o Old reservoir 17,950 850 0.78 6n Nes reservoir 19,040 2,975 1 . 57 7 8

Emporia Eureka

8,960 8,640

1,770 540

0.92 1.22

9 Gardner & N.A.S. 3,135 720 1 . 37 10 Garnett 1,520 287 0.67 11 Herington 9,200 443 1.00 12 Holton 834 193 0.51 13 Horton 6,160 330 1.18

14 Howard 5,850 225 1.99 15 16 17

Louisburg Moline Moran

475 -­-­89 -­-­

0.81 -­-­18n Olathe (new res.) 9,785 1,188 1.68

180 Olathe (old res.) -­ 133 -­19 Osage City 2,790 135 0.72 20 Osawatomie 570 90 0.15 21 Oskaloosa 315 60 0.76 22 Pleasanton 736 -­ -­23n Sabetha (new res.) 4,853 337 1.61 230 24

Sabetha (old res.) Sedan

4,853 2,664

168 162

1 . 02 0.74

25 Severy 1,080 21 0.75 26 Spring Hill 705 25 1.00

27 Wellington 9,500 900 0.76 28 Yates Center 2,664 222 0 . 79

Page 46: Reservoir Design Criteria

-- -- --

-- -- ---- -- --

-- --

-- --

39

TABLE IV. COMPUTED RESERVOIR DATA

1 2 3

, 5 4

6 6o 6n 7 8

9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18n

18o 19 20 21 22

23n 23o 2425 26

27 28

City

Altamont Augusta Carbondale Council Grove Edna

El Dorado Old Reservoir New Reservoir

Emporia Eureka

Gardner & N.A.S. Garnett Herington Holton Horton

Howard Louisburg Moline Moran Olathe (new res.)

Olathe (old res.) Osage City Osawatomie Oskaloosa Pleasanton

Sabetha (new res.) Sabetha (old res.) Sedan Severy Spring Hill

Wellington Yates Center

(Adjusted DrainaJe

Area) (Persons Served)

0.85 0.71

2.20 0.33

2.96 1.44 1.52 0.75 2.16

0.98 0.56 2.04 0.36 2.28

4.50 0.68

1.95

1.47 0.14 0.63 0.61

2.43 2.43 1.33

. 2.16 1.17..

1.06 1.18

(Adjusted Reservoir

Volume)/ (Persons Served)

0.02 0.11

0.82 0.10

0.31 0.07 0.24 0.15 0.14

0.22 0.11 0.10 0.08 0.12

0.17 0.13

0.24

0.03 0.07 0.02 0.12

0.17 0.08 0.08 0.04 0.04

0.10 0.10

(Adjusted Reservoir

Volume)/ (AdjustedDrainage

Area)

0.02 0.15

0.38 0.30

0.10 0.05 0.15 0.20 0.06

0.23 0.19 0.05 0.23 0.05

0.04 0.19

0.12

0.05 0.16 0.19

0.07 0.03 0.06 0.02 0.04

0.09 0.08

Page 47: Reservoir Design Criteria

-- -- --

-- -- ---- -- --

-- --

-- --

40

TABLE V. COMPUTED RESERVOIR DATA

1 2 3 4 5

6 6o 6n 7 8

9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18n

18o 19 20 21 22

23n 23o 24 25 26

27 28

City

Altamont Augusta Carbondale Council Grove Edna

El Dorado Old reservoir New reservoir

Emporia Eureka

Gardner & N.A . S. Garnett Herington Holton Horton

Howard LouisburgMoline Moran Olathe (new res.)

Olathe (old res.) Osage CityOsawatomie Oskaloosa Pleasanton

Sabetha (new res.} Sabetha (old res.) Sedan Severy Spring Hill

Wellington Yates Center

(Drainage Area)!

(PersonsServed)

0.85 0.83

2.67 0.33

3 .48 1.69 1.79 0 . 85 2 . 40

1 . 03 0 . 59 2.56 0.41 2.61

5.00 0.71

2 . 06

1 . 63 0.15 0 . 64 0.63

2.94 2.94 1.44 2.40 1.24

1.28 1.28

(Reservoir Volume)/(Persons Served)

0.02 0.12

1.00 0.10

0.36 0 .08 0 . 28 0 . 17 0 . 15

0.24 0.11 0.12 0.10 0.14

0.19 0.13

0.25

0 . 03 o . o8 0.02 0.13

0.20 0.10 0.09 0.05 0.04

0.12 0.11

(Reservoir Volume)/

(DrainageArea)

0.02 0.15

0.38 0.30

0.10 0.05 0.16 0.20 0.06

0 . 23 0 . 19 0.05 0.23 0.05

0 . 04 0.19

0.12

0.05 0.16 0.19

0.07 0.03 0.06 0.02 0.04

0.10 0.08

Page 48: Reservoir Design Criteria

-- --

-- --

-- --

-- ---- ---- ---- --

---- --

TABLE VI. COMPUTED RESERVOIR DATA

1 2 3 4 5

6 6o 6n 7 8

9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18n

180 19 20 21 22

23n 23o 24 25 26

27 28

City

Altamont Augusta Carbondale Council Grove Edna

El Dorado Old Reservoir New Reservoir

Emporia Eureka

Gardner & N.A.S. Garnett Herington Holton Horton

Howard Louisburg Moline Moran Olathe (new res.)

Olathe (old res.) Osage City Osawatomie Oskaloosa Pleasanton

Sabetha (new res.) Sabetha (old res.) Sedan SeverySpring Hill

WellingtonYates Center

( Reservoir Volume)/

(Pool Area)

2.00 3.00

6.91 3.75

3.64 2.74 4.02 5.00

7.60 4. 79

3.73 1.90

4.17

8.44

3.06 4.32 2.91

1.71 2.69 2.30 1.73

3.24 2.00

(Pool Area)/ (Drainage

Area)

0.012 0.050

0.054 0.080

0.028 0.017 0.039 0.039

0.030 0.039

0.062 0.028

0.009

0.014

0.016 0.037 0.066 0.034

0.034 0.020 o.oo8 0.020

0.030 0.042

Page 49: Reservoir Design Criteria

-;;- 35 ~ 0:: 0 < ex.. 0

30

rl)

~ <rl) 25 p 0

~ - 20 < ~ < Pil CJ

15 <z H <0:: 10 ~

~

~ rl) 5 ~ ~

14 23JL990 / ~

~ e28

~ •

l I I 0 Adequate Reservoirs

• Inadequate Reservoirs

@ New Reservoirs

~ o"C\-')~ei:~ _____ .........

"9~ c;,O~ 0 s ~ei:

s ~ "90~ ;:..:---­

~~c~~ ~/

v ~/ 11 ..::::::: ~

8 ~~ 0 18 "27

4~ n

09 ~2

q,

v ~ ___...

l--__...v

@6n •6o

~- 7

2000 4000 6000 8000 10,000 12,000

PERSONS SERVED

FIG. XV. ADJU~T~D DRAINAGE AREAS

..

Page 50: Reservoir Design Criteria

(/) 9 f:il p:: 0 ~ 8 ~ 0

tf.) 7Cl z ~ (/) p 60

~ -<X! 5 r:r:l p:: <X!

4 ~ <X! z H 3<X! ~ Cl

Cl 2 ~ (/)

~ 1Cl <

I I I 10~0 Adequate Reservoirs ~ 114

• Inadequate Reservoirs 8 / 0~

@ New Reservoirs r~/~(§ ~0-o:,

r.~\...~ 0~

40~13 c~0~

140 / ~

/;.~

//

/ :/

2S.~ ~ .1 ;p @26 .22

L213 ®1550

23 ~ ~ /n

/ ////

19~~ 24

.28

12°

09

e10

4~20

~ />18n

4t 2

1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

PERSONS SERVED

FIG. XVI . ADJUS TED DRAINAGE AREAS

..

Page 51: Reservoir Design Criteria

.......... 0. 35 ~

IX. 0

Cl) 30 0 ~ ~ 0

25

-~ ::r::

~ p 20 .....:1

~ ~ H 15 0 :::> ~ r:il Cl) r:il 10 ~

0 r:il 8 Cl) 5i; 0ex: ~

I I I 06 0 Adequate Reservoirs

• Inadequate Reservoirs

@ New Reservoirs -@z­

6n

() 4

14 1~ ~ 13

70

t>et'so0--­...----­

G 'Pet' _;..::--­o 18n s ~- ~ ) -~0·~ t>et>S~

f.---­

-­ ~ G. -per ::..:-­- {0.1. ·~~

o9 -----:~-8--- --- ~

2-----­._:.-­ ----~

=---======­---'ll

4 ~ 20 4~180

.60

2000 4000 6000 8000 10,000 12,000

PERSONS SERVED

FIG. XVII. ADJUSTED RESERVOIR VOLUMES

Page 52: Reservoir Design Criteria

-11 • ~. ::E: 10 IX. 0

{/) 9

Q (il ~ 8§ D ::X:: 7

( ~ 6 .....:! 0 :> 5 ~ H 0 4 ~ lil {/)

lil 3 ~

~ 2 {/)

~ 1A ~

r I 1 I (9)18

0 Adequate Reservoirs n

• Inadequate Reservoirs

@ New Reservoirs

I

.n"!\.')

~Eli.' ..~...............

()9 ~ei.'_............. v ('..

~~;....--- /'

"t:-­ 2~ a---­ ............,o~

8o v ......----­............... -o.) ---­.....

_.,............ ~e~ _.............-v ~.G· ~r11

~23n lJo~ ............... 1,.0·1.~ ~ -I _............. • -­

14 .,............. 28 J---10 0 ~ _.......... ~otj2!; 12

(.180--21 o 15 .... ~ 19.

5p~ ''2o ~· e©26 •125

1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

PERSONS SERVED .

FIG. XVIII. ADJUSTED RESERVOIR VOLUMES

Page 53: Reservoir Design Criteria

4

64

14

a 23n

13 _ 0 9

26 ""' 230 .. ~~~~5 19~ . 28

~ e1o®5 . l. 1.2

2000

8

-- 1l.

4. 20 '

a 18n

4. 2

0 Adequate Reservoirs

• Inadequate Reservoirs

@ New Reservoirs

K' = 1.2 K' • 1.0

~· 27

0 6

@6 n

7 " .6 0

1

4000 6000 8000 10,000 12,000 PERSONS SERVED

FIG. XIX. VALUES OF K 1 FAC'IDRS

, ,

Page 54: Reservoir Design Criteria

47 CHAPTER IX

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

It was noted that Figures XV and XVI indicated that

most of the reservoirs having records of inadequacy or

being too new to have dependable records fell below the

line indicating a drainage area of two adjusted acres per

person. The figure of two adjusted acres per person for

funoff area was used as absolute minimum in computations

of the K' factor.

Examination of Figures XVII and XVIII resulted in the

selection of 100,000 adjusted gallons of storage per per­

son served as the minimum value of reservoir storage. In

these graphs most of the points plotted for inadequate

reservoir storage fell below the line indicating 100,000

adjusted gallons per person~

The compensation between volume of storage and drain­

age area was well illustrated by reservoirs numbers (7)

and (9). Reservoir (7) for the city of Emporia had ade­

quate volume as indicated in Figure XVII, but fell far

short of the required drainage area as shown in Figure

XV. Reservoir (9) for the city of Gardner and the Olathe

Naval Air Station was deficient in drainage area {Figure

XVI} but had sufficient excess volume of storage (Figure

XVIII) that the reservoir has given adequate serv-ice.

The most consistent guides to adequacy of reservoir

Page 55: Reservoir Design Criteria

48

~

< ~

~ A~ 0 r; v \~ ~ ~ -5~ 0 ~ ~

~-10 0

~-15 ~

~ 0

I~ I I I I Ir;

\~ A v \ ~/~\

~ v ~/

I

I I I • I 1952 1953 1954 1955

FIG. XX. CUMULATIVE MONTHLY EXCESS PRECIPITATION HOLTON, KANSAS

installations were the values of K 1 factors as plotted in

Figure XIX. It was noted that nearly all of the K 1 val­

ues of new and inadequate reservoir installations fell

below 1.0, and all were 1.2 or less.

It was recommended, then, that adjusted areas of

2.25 acres per person and adjusted volumes of 125,000

gallons per person be taken as desirable minimum design

values. These figures gave a computed value of 1.2 for

the K' factor. Minor variations from the values of 2.25

and 125,000 were felt to be permissible if the value of

the K' factor did not fall below the recommended minimum

design value of 1.2.

Page 56: Reservoir Design Criteria

49 --

Average Ratio for All

Reservoirs

1. Drainage area {acres)/person 1.66

2. Volume {M.G. )/person 0.16

3. Adjusted area {acres)/person 1.46

4. Adjusted volume {M.G.) /person 0.14

5. Volume (M.G.)/drainage area (acres) 0.12

6. Volume {M.G.)/pool area {acres) 3.72

7. Pool area (acres)/drainage area (acres) 0.034

8. K' factor 1.13

TABLE VII. SUMMARY OF AVERAGES OF RATIOS

It was noted in Figure XIX that all but one of the

values of K 1 less than 1.0 represented either inadequate

or new reservoirs. ~he one exception was number 12,

Holton's installation. Investigation revealed that the

Holton reservoir was located in the glaciated area of

Kansas and possibly has had the benefit of subsurface

storage in the layer of highly pervious material deposited

in this area •

. Further investigation of Holton's record showed that

the city has been fortunate during the 1952 - 1955 drought.

As indicated in Figure XX, the Holton area has had a

Page 57: Reservoir Design Criteria

50

cumulative deficiency of about 14 inches of precipitation

during this period. This deficiency has been less than

half the shortage of moisture suffered by the rest of the

State as shown by Figures VI to X, inclusive.

An example for persons interested in computing mini­

mum design values for a proposed surface water supply

reservoir was made as follows. A reservoir for a city of

3500 people in an area having an average rainfall of 35

inches per year required a minimum storage capacity of

125,000 x 3500 x 40/35 = 500,000,000 gallons. The same

reservoir required a drainage area of at least 2.25 x

3500 x 40/35 = 9000acres. These volume and area values

gave a K1 factor of 1.19 for the installation.

Average values of observed and computed data and

computed ratios were summarized in Table VII. These

figures represented the averages of available data on the

reservoirs investigated in this study. They were tabu­

lated for use in comparing proposed design features with

similar characteristics of existing reservoirs.

The computed minimum and average figures and ratios

in this study were intended to provide criteria to guide

engineering judgement in reservoir design. They indi­

cated values of pertinent factors for successful and

unsuccessful existing reservoirs and attempted to sup­

ply numerical values which would show a line of demarca­

tion between them. In common with all calculations,

Page 58: Reservoir Design Criteria

51 such computed values were intended only to provide compar­

ative data, leaving the decision on final figures to ex­

perienced engineering judgement.

Page 59: Reservoir Design Criteria

52

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Babbitt, Harold E. and James J. Doland. Water supply. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1955. 608 p.

2. Foster, Edgar E. Rainfall and runoff. New York, MacMillan, 1948. 487 p.

3. Jones, J. 0. Notes on the hydrology of Kansas. Engineering bulletin No. 20, University of Kansas. Lawrence, Kansas, 1936. 175 p.

4. Kansas. A report to the Kansas State Legislature. Water in Kansas. Topeka, Kansas, 1954. 216 p.

5. Kansas. A report to the Kansas State Legislature. Appendix to water in Kansas. Topeka, Kansas, 1954. 180 p.

6. Kansas. Report of the Kansas State Board of Agricul­ture. Climate of Kansas. Topeka, Kansas, 1948. 320 p.

7. Kansas State Board of Health. Inventory of water and sewage works in Kansas. Lawrence, Kansas, 1950. 16 p.

8. Kansas State College. Agrtcultural Experiment Station. Kansas weather and climate. Manhattan, Kansas, 1942. 108 p.

9. Mead, Daniel W. Hydrology. New York, McGraw-Hill,

10. Robinson,

1950. 728 p.

Thomas B. The effect of the 1952-1954 drought on the design of water supply impounding reservoirs. Transactions of the fifth annual conference. on sanitary engineering. University of Kansas publi­cations. Pages 25-32. Lawrence, Kansas, 1955.

11. Rosebraugh, Vernon H. Standards for water supply reservoirs. Kansas government journal. Pages 9-10. January 1956.

Page 60: Reservoir Design Criteria

53

12. Turneaure,

13. Wisler, C.

14. Waterman,

F. E., and H. L. Russell. Public water supplies. New York, John Wiley and Sons, 1940. 704 p.

0., and E. F. Brater. Hydrology. New York, John Wiley and Sons, 1949. 419 p.

Earle L. Elements of water supply engin­eering. New York, John Wiley and Sons, 1938~ 329 p.


Recommended