Integrated Sediment Management in Rivers and Reservoirs

Dam instability and loss of storage capacity are just a few of many problems caused by reservoir sedimentation. With over 5000 large dams in India the impact of reservoir sedimentation is significant and therefore sediment management is of crucial importance. Where the majority of the dams have been clogged up during the past decades, the active removal of sediment from these reservoirs by dredging is necessary to regain its capacity. Sediment removal by dredging is a costly process. However, these costs can be reduced by implementing an innovative circular sediment management plan. By re-using the dredged sediments instead of disposing it as a waste product additional revenue could be generated. A consortium of Dutch companies are preparing a full-scale pilot project to implement the circular sediment management plan for reservoir dredging in India. This paper gives a brief overview of the projected pilot including a circular sediment management plan and a technical approach of the proposed dredging method.