Environment Agency / Defra FCRM R&D programme Project SC130001
Guide to Drawdown Capacity for Reservoir Safety and Emergency Planning
Industry survey questionnaire
Please read the guidance note before filling out this questionnaire, it will help you respond to the
questions and also inform you of any questions you do not need to complete. If there is insufficient
space for your answer please continue on an additional sheet.
Name:
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Organisation:
Q1.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Does your organisation, or do you personally, own or operate any reservoirs?
☐ Yes (owned personally)
☐ No (go to Q4)
☐
Q2.
Yes (through my organisation)
Number of reservoirs operated ………………………
Of the reservoirs referred to in question 1 how many:
Have a functioning permanent emergency outlet/ scour outlet:
Have a non-functioning permanent emergency/scour outlet?
Q3.
Have no permanent emergency outlet/ scour outlet:
How often are your reservoirs visited by a responsible person:
Frequency
(Please
tick)
At least once every 3 days
Between 4 days and 1 week
Between 8 days and 2 weeks
Less often than once every 2 weeks
Q4.
Q5.
☐
☐
☐
☐
………………………………………….
………………………………………….
………………………………………….
Comments on which of your reservoirs this applies to
…………………………………….
…………………………………….
…………………………………….
…………………………………….
Are you a Panel Engineer appointed under the Reservoirs Act?
☐ Not a Panel Engineer
☐
☐
Supervising Engineer
☐
☐
☐
Initial drawdown rate of ………… m/day (state value)
Inspecting Engineer
Do you have a standard drawdown rate that you require your reservoirs to achieve during
precautionary or emergency drawdown, or that you apply to the reservoirs you inspect or
supervise?
☐ No standard (go to Q7)
☐
Reduction to 50% capacity in ………… days (state number of days)
Hinks’ formula (Low Level Outlets 1 - Formula for Target Capacity’ Dams and Reservoirs
Journal, 2009, 19(1), pp7-10,)
Other (please specify):
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
If your standard does not align with any of these, copies of your policy on drawdown
capacity would be gratefully received. Please email/post to the address at the end of
this questionnaire. All information received will be dealt with in strict confidence.
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Environment Agency / Defra FCRM R&D programme Project SC130001
Guide to Drawdown Capacity for Reservoir Safety and Emergency Planning
Q6.
Q7.
Q8.
Q9.
Does the standard in question 5 allow for reservoir inflow?
☐ Yes State criterion for inflow
☐ No
………………………….…………………………………
Please state any reasoning behind the inflow, or lack of inflow, used:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
In your opinion are there some reservoirs that do not require a permanent emergency outlet?
☐ Yes
☐ No
If your answer is yes please indicate your reasoning or examples, which support this opinion:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
To achieve emergency drawdown do you rely on temporary pumps?
☐ Yes:
☐ No
Number and size of pumps: ……………….
Proportion of fixed capacity: ……………….
How many times in the last 10 years have you drawn down any of
your reservoirs for precautionary or emergency purposes?
………………………………………….
☐
Q10.
Q11.
Q12.
Emergency Drawdown
Number off drawdowns: ………………..
☐
Precautionary drawdown
Number off drawdowns: ………………..
If you have carried out any precautionary or emergency drawdowns, please provide details of the
reservoir type, reason for draw down and any important lessons learned.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
How many times in the last 10 years have you had a scour valve
fail to operate satisfactorily (refer to guidance sheet):
………………………………………….
State any important lessons learned from drawdown exercises or events:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Would guidance on defining an appropriate discharge capacity for precautionary or emergency
drawdown purposes be helpful in managing the safety of your reservoirs?
☐ Yes
☐ No
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Environment Agency / Defra FCRM R&D programme Project SC130001
Guide to Drawdown Capacity for Reservoir Safety and Emergency Planning
Q13.
14.
Please rate the importance of the following factors in determining an appropriate discharge
capacity for emergency drawdown purposes. using the scale of 1 to 5 below:
1 = Unimportant
2 = Not very important
3 = Fairly important
4 = Important
5 = Very important
Time to failure of the dam from first
identifying a problem
How often a reservoir is visited
Concurrent inflows during
drawdown
Activation time (time from being
informed of a problem to starting
reservoir drawdown)
Potential damage downstream
Other (please state): .....……………………
.…………………………………………………………
We are considering three possible formats for the planned guidance, or a tiered combination of
them. Please rate the following formats using the scale of 1 to 5:
1 = Not beneficial
2 = Not very beneficial
3 = Fairly beneficial
4 = beneficial
5 = Very beneficial
A qualitative flow chart process which describes the factors that should be considered in
determining an appropriate emergency drawdown capacity.
Provision of a defined standard, or range of values, which will vary depending on the dam
characteristics.
Quantitative method to produce a site specific minimum recommended value of
emergency drawdown capacity.
15
Other (please state):
………………………………..…………………………………….………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Any other factors/points you deem to be important in determining an appropriate drawdown
capacity:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Are you happy to be contacted if we would
like to discuss any of your answers:
☐
☐
Yes
No
Thank you for your time in completing this questionnaire; the data will be treated anonymously and
used to improve reservoir safety through the production of new reservoir guidance. Please send us
your completed questionnaire by either: Email to tom.dutton@jacobs.com , or Post to: Thomas
Dutton, 1180 Eskdale Road, Winnersh, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 5TU. We would be grateful to
receive returns by 18th January 2015.
If you have any queries please contact us via email tom.dutton@jacobs.com or telephone 0118 946
8642.
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