SHARC - A software package to aid sediment and hydraulic analysis of irrigation canal systems
SHARC is a comprehensive software package designed to assist in the identification and solution of sediment problems in irrigation canal systems.
Background
In many run of river canal systems, sediment deposits have to be removed to maintain irrigation supplies.
In schemes with significant sedimentation problems savings in de-silting costs can justify the costs of installing sediment control structures. Such control structures can reduce both the sizes , and the concentrations of the sediments passing into canal networks. There are two major benefits:

  • Reduced canal de-silting, and hence a reduction in the costs of routine maintenance,.
  • The conveyance capacity of canal networks is maintained, improving the reliability of water supply.

If the introduction of sediment control also enables a previously declining irrigation service are to be sustained, or water supplies to previously marginal areas to be improved, very large economic returns may be achieved.

The software
SHARC (Sediment and Hydraulic Analysis for Rehabilitation of Canals) integrates a sediment routing model with design packages for sediment control structures, and other modules.

A software manual provides guidance on use of the software itself while a separate technical manual provides the engineering context for the software and sets out the engineering procedure for deriving solutions to sediment problems. A Quick Guide enables users already familiar with PC software and with general aspects of sediment control to make quick progress with the software.

SHARC will run on a Pentium PC running windows 95/98/NT (or later).

   What it covers
The package comprises six main components:
  • Problem Diagnosisis carried out to generate a list of technically feasible options for improved sediment management. The diagnosis uses preliminary information on the sizes and locations of sediments settling in a canal network.
  • Preliminary economic screening to identify options that are likely to be economically viable.
  • Design tools including prediction of performance.
    The tools include four software packages to aid the design of alluvial canals, canal sediment extractors, settling basins, and sediment excluding intakes. These enable the leading dimensions of sediment control structures and their sediment excluding or trapping performance to be determined.
  • Hydraulic simulation and sediment routing model to predict changes in whole scheme performance due to sediment control
  • Environmental checklists to identify environmental impacts.
  • Economic analysis to help derive an optimum solution

Contributors
HR Wallingford Ltd, UK.

Intended users
SHARC is intended for use by scheme designers and engineers

Users are assumed to be familiar with the concepts of civil engineering hydraulics, and the use of computer software packages. Some knowledge of sediment transport and simulation modelling is desirable, but not essential. SHARC is however not an expert system, and does not remove the need for the knowledge provided by experienced design engineers.

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For a copy of the software, including manuals, contact:
International Development Group, HR Wallingford Ltd, Howbery Park, Oxon, OX10 8BA, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1491 835381, Fax: +44 (0) 1491 826352, E-mail:w5outputs@hrwallingford.co.uk