3. Dam seepage monitoring (flumes & weirs)

Dam seepage can be a serious problem over time. Many observations are taken into consideration in monitoring possible dam seepage issues including visual inspections, flow measurements, water property changes, sediment accumulation in the open channel flow stations just to name a few. Visual clues are often the first detected signs (increase seepage discharge, muddy water seepage, sand boils, sinkholes, etc.).  However, strategically located open channel flow measurement stations can be used to quantify the amount of seepage and evaluate progression through flow changes in time.  Magnetrol offers contact and non-contact transmitters for use in conjunction with primary flow measurement devices such as flumes and weirs to monitor and quantify dam seepage.

Solution:
The most economical Magnetrol transmitters used for open channel flow measurement are the Echotel 335 (4-wire), the Echotel 355 (2-wire) and the R82 radar transmitters. These already have several of the open channel flow primary device measurement geometries and formulas programmed in the unit so you only need to provide a few parameters to configure the unit.  There is also a general open channel flow formula that will require a few more parameters to configure and are usually used to measure channels and rivers that do not have a known geometry as does primary devices such as flumes and weirs.