Controlling Reservoir Trap Efficiency

RESEARCH on three reservoirs in central Missouri has shown that reservoir sedimentation trap efficiency is affected by the detention time of storm runoff and by factors governing sediment particle size. Decreasing the detention time can be done by discharging storm runoff from the reservoir with the use of a bottom-withdrawal spillway. With the bottom-withdrawal spillway, the clean water remains in the reservoir and floats above the density currents caused by storm runoff moving to the deepest part of the reservoir.