DESIGN FLOOD REVIEW AND EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN FOR GUNDLAKAMMA RESERVOIR

Abstract

The significance of maintaining dam safety and the necessity of careful risk assessment and financial analysis to manage possible flood events and prevent dam breakdowns. To precisely forecast flood levels and wave arrival times—essential for emergency response planning- it emphasizes modeling dam breaches and significant flooding occurrences. Two critical components in these simulations are highlighted: the hydrometeorological technique and the HEC-RAS dam failure tool. The paper also stresses the necessity of thorough Emergency Action Plans (EAPs), pinpointing safety concerns and offering non-structural risk reduction techniques. The main objectives of this study are to conduct a Design Flood Review and develop EAP to address probable flood situations. This entails assessing the dam's resilience to severe flooding, comprehending the ramifications of a dam break, and implementing efficient emergency response protocols. Some goals are reviewing the design flood, creating inundation maps, doing dam breach analysis using 2D flow modeling, and creating flood inundation maps. The creation of Emergency Action Plans (EAPs), the use of HEC-RAS for dam breach analysis, and HEC-HMS for design flood assessments are essential methods for guaranteeing dam safety. Utilizing HEC-HMS, the design flood review process involves simulating hydrological processes, gathering data, choosing a design storm, validating and calibrating models, estimating peak flow, and creating flood hydrographs. By simulating several breach scenarios and analyzing the ensuing flood levels and wave propagation, dam breach analysis using HEC-RAS considers dam characteristics, breach parameters, and terrain. Comprehensive risk assessments, inundation mapping, notification protocols, evacuation strategies, and coordination amongst pertinent agencies are all part of designing an emergency action plan (EAP), which is regularly practiced and tested to guarantee preparedness. This all-encompassing strategy aims to ensure adequate emergency responses, lower the danger of flooding, and improve dam safety. Since opening in 2008, the Gundlakamma Reservoir in the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh has been an essential component of the region's water management system, serving residents, businesses, and agriculture.