07-24-2014, 02:56 PM
Check dams are constructed across small streams having gentle slope.
The site selected should have sufficient thickness of permeable bed or weathered formation to facilitate recharge of stored water within short span of time.
The water stored in these structures is mostly confined to stream course and the height is normally less than 2 m and excess water is allowed to flow over the wall. In order to avoid scouring from excess run off, water cushions are provided at downstream side.
To harness the maximum run off in the stream, series of such check dams can be constructed to have recharge on regional scale.
Clay filled cement bags arranged as a wall are also being successfully used as a barrier across small nalas. At places, shallow trench is excavated across the nala and asbestos sheets are put on two sides. The space between the rows of asbestos sheets across the nala is backfilled with clay. Thus a low cost check dam is created. On the upstream side clay filled cement bags can be stacked in a slope to provide stability to the structure.
The site selected should have sufficient thickness of permeable bed or weathered formation to facilitate recharge of stored water within short span of time.
The water stored in these structures is mostly confined to stream course and the height is normally less than 2 m and excess water is allowed to flow over the wall. In order to avoid scouring from excess run off, water cushions are provided at downstream side.
To harness the maximum run off in the stream, series of such check dams can be constructed to have recharge on regional scale.
Clay filled cement bags arranged as a wall are also being successfully used as a barrier across small nalas. At places, shallow trench is excavated across the nala and asbestos sheets are put on two sides. The space between the rows of asbestos sheets across the nala is backfilled with clay. Thus a low cost check dam is created. On the upstream side clay filled cement bags can be stacked in a slope to provide stability to the structure.