Seepage Analysis of Satpara Dam; A Case Study in Pakistan

Abstract

Satpara is a rock fill dam having an earth core and located in Skardu. The dam has a length of 1400 ft and a maximum height of 128 ft, built on ground moraines and alluvial soil. Due to the porous nature of strata, serious seepage problems arose, among them, one major concern is embankment breaching. To rectify these problems, the upstream side is provided with a blanket that is almost 600 ft long and a cut off which is 25 ft in the foundation. This study analyzed the seepage through the dam using SEEP/w and studied the numerical value regarding the effect of seepage on the production of electricity during the whole year. It was found that significant amount of seepage is taking place, but the phreatic line indicates that the seepage water is exiting through chimney drain posing no serious threat to stability of dam. Consequential effect of seepage on power generation were observed