Simulation of the flushing into the dam-reservoir Paute-Cardenillo

The study analyzes the expected changes in the Paute River in Ecuador as a result of the construction of the Paute-Cardenillo Dam (owned by Celec Ep-Hidropaute). This dam will integrate the National Electric System of Ecuador. Given that the project must remain viable throughout its useful life, the operational rules at the reservoir are required to include sedimentation effects. Sediment transport and flushing are studied by using four complementary procedures: empirical formulae, one-dimensional simulations (time required for sediment level to reach the height of the bottom outlets), two-dimensional simulations (flushing) and three-dimensional simulations (detail of the sediment transport through bottom outlet). Besides this, three-dimensional simulations have been used to considerer the effect of increasing the roughness due to the sediment transport in the bottom outlets. © 2014 Taylor & Francis Group, London.