Study Trip to Amandara Head works

Date: 12 July, 2023
 
Fig 1:    The bridge over canal regulator of upper Swat canal
8th Semester students of BSc Civil Engineering were taken on a study trip to Amandara Head works Batkhela, Malakand. The head works is built on river swat to divert water towards upper Swat canal. Its capacity is to handle 200,000 cusecs flood water. 100,000 cusecs is handled by the main weir
 
Fig 2:     The main weir with capacity of 100,000 cusecs of flood discharge
The main weir is provided with blocks of concrete on the downstream side to slow down flood water.
The remaining 100,000 cusecs is handled by the sluice gates provided on the side of the diversion canal, downstream. The sluice gates are closed for damming effect. There are three sluice gates, each with a capacity of 33000 cusecs.
 
Fig 3:     The three under sluice gates of the head works, shown from downstream side of river Swat

Fig 4:     Divide Wall provided between the weir proper and under sluice (on upstream of head works)
Divide wall creates a water pocket between regulator gates, under sluices and itself to push water towards the off-taking canal via the canal head regulator gates. Its purpose is to further dam up and pond water in addition to the under sluice gates.
They are always provided on the side, where the off-taking canal is situated.
In a nut shell, head-works is an arrangement to divert river water into a stream. It has no reservoir, no electricity generation provision. It is with the Irrigation Deptt.