HYDERABAD: The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) expert committee held detailed discussions with irrigation officials on the first day of its second visit to the state here on Wednesday.
The team, headed by Chandrasekhar Iyer, enquired about the design, operation and other aspects of the Kaleshwaram project.
It may be mentioned here that after the sinking of the Medigadda barrage piers, the NDSA constituted a expert committee. During its first visit, the team visited the three barrages. On Wednesday, the irrigation officials reportedly informed the team that certain aspects were ignored while designing the Sundilla barrage.
The officials are said to have informed the expert committee that the construction of gates of Sundilla barrage were completed in January, 2019. However, in the 2019 floods, the downstream protection works were washed away due to velocity of water and the situation remains same during every flood season.
According to sources, the officials explained to the visiting team that for Sundilla downstream energy dissipation works were designed considering high tailwater level (TWL), resulting in low velocities.
But in practice due to inadequate TWL, the velocities developed downstream at lower discharges are ranging from 16 m/s to 20 m/s for which the design and model studies were not done.
The officials also explained other technical problems that they encountered due to heavy floods. They said that they even engaged independent consultant to study the barrage. The studies suggested there was a need for an extended apron downstream to protect the barrages.