International School for Water Resources

Outline of Special Training in Dam Operation and Maintenance (Six Weeks)

First Week:

Orientation and Planning

Arrival in Fort Collins. Settling into housing. Orientation to Fort Collins and Colorado State University. In-depth planning of training program with Dr. J.F. Ruff. Introduction to research library and computing facilities.p>

Second Week:

Special Training in Operation, Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Dams

Special training and guided study by Dr. James F. Ruff in seepage and pore water pressures in dams, embankments and dikes; settlement of foundations; surface protection and erosion control; stability of embankments; spillway and stilling basin capacity, enlargement, and rehabilitation; and outlet works, valves and gates.

Third Week: (20 hours)

Introduction to Microcomputing

Introduction to the use of microcomputers as a tool for dam project management, including hands-on experience with Windows, word-processing, spreadsheet, project management and graphics software. Development of skills needed to implement software for project management, systems analysis and modeling.

Third & Fourth Week:

Special Study in Dam Operation Strategies

Guided study with Dr. Darrell Fontane to inform participants of the knowledge available and basic methods for planning, design and operation of water storage capacities: reservoir management concepts, streamflow hydrologic analysis, selection of critical flow periods, reservoir planning and operational objectives, hydrologic reservoir sizing, environmental considerations, development of reservoir operational rules, hydropower operation and planning, strategies of optimally distributing water and shortages, simulation and optimization models for reservoir sizing and operational analysis, irrigation system models, systems analysis methodologies and reservoir decision support system concepts.

Fifth Week:

Instrumentation in Hydromachinery Analysis

Guided study with Dr. Morris Skinner to introduce hydromachinery diagnostics and to demonstrate the use of selected state-of-the-art instrumentation for measuring vibration, pressure, and sound associated with pumps and turbines.

Possible Topics for the Sixth Week:

Special Training on Fluid Training Interaction/Aeration and Cavitation Prediction on Spillways

Guided study by Dr. James Ruff and Dr. Henry Falvey including collection and analysis of data from a large physical dam overtopping model and other experimental facilities, and computational modeling of flow over spillways.

Special Training on River Basin Management Policies

Special training by Dr. Neil Grigg and Dr. Evan Vlachos on river basin management: planning concepts, public administration, planning and management organizations, political environments, financial and economic planning, environmental planning, managing complex systems, and integrated approaches.