Evaluation of Inlet/Outlet Works Mechanical Equipment and Design

Concepts, Olivenhain Dam

Stanley J. Hayes1
Mark A. Hammer2
David P. Thompson3

ABSTRACT

Olivenhain Dam is a new roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam currently under design
for the San Diego County Water Authority (Authority) and the Olivenhain Municipal
Water District (District) in Southern California. The dam will be 310 ft. tall, making it
the tallest RCC dam in North America. The main purposes of the dam are to provide off-
source emergency water storage for the Authority and the San Diego area, in the event of
major earthquake that might interrupt normal water supplies, and storage for normal
District uses.

Given the off-source location of the Project, one principal aspect of the Project is design
of feature(s) to provide for water pumped into the reservoir from several sources, as well
as the ability to release water from the reservoir to several locations. This paper
describes the evolution and evaluation of the general arrangement, mechanical
equipment, and civil/structural features of the Inlet/Outlet (I/O) Works of the Project.

OVERVIEW OF INFLOW/OUTFLOWS

The Olivenhain Reservoir, located in San Diego County in southern California, USA,
provides approximately 24,000 ac-ft. of water storage. See Figure 1 for the general
location. The dam is not on a stream, so water is normally pumped into the reservoir.
However, the roughly one square mile drainage area for the reservoir does provide for
very minor, intermittent inflows. Inflow sources of water include:

 Pumped inflow from the Authority’s Second Aqueduct;

 Pumped inflow from Lake Hodges, located one mile southeast of the dam; and
 Natural inflow from the reservoir drainage basin.

1. Partner and Senior Mechanical Engineer, Harza Engineering Company, 2353 130th
Avenue N.E., Suite 200, Bellevue, WA 98005
2. Senior Mechanical Engineer, Harza Engineering Company
3. Partner and Senior Civil Engineer, Harza Engineering Company
At the time of this writing, the Authority is considering two distinct possible uses for the
Lake Hodges – Olivenhain reservoir system: operational flexibility by using
supplemental water from Lake Hodges, or a pumped-storage scheme with Lake Hodges
as the lower reservoir and Olivenhain reservoir as the upper reservoir.

Outflow operations for Olivenhain reservoir include:

 Emergency water supply operational requirements as stipulated by the Authority;

 Normal operation requirements stipulated by the District; and
 Operation requirements stipulated by the California State Division of Safety of
Dams (DSOD).

Based on the anticipated requirements of the Authority and District, maximum pumped
inflow into the reservoir is expected to be approximately 350 cfs, and maximum reservoir
outflow for the Authority’s emergency use is expected to be approximately 380 cfs. The
DSOD requirements primarily relate to dam safety reservoir evacuation requirements,
which for the Olivenhain reservoir is lowering of the top 10% of the reservoir depth in 10
days with the entire active storage evacuated in 120 days; this translates into a required
outflow from Olivenhain reservoir of approximately 350 cfs.

EVOLUTION OF I/O WORKS LAYOUT

The overall conceptual layout of the I/O Works has undergone considerable change
during the overall design process. Specific operational requirements of both the
Authority and the District have changed over the course of the design, and withdrawal
requirements for water quality considerations have changed as a result of limnological
studies. The original design concept for the I/O Works, as described in a 1997 study by
GEI Consultants, Inc. in 1997, envisioned a single, 54-inch diameter conduit through the
dam that would accommodate all inflows into the reservoir and outflows from the
reservoir. A tower with five ports on the upstream face of the dam would provide for
selective withdrawal at various reservoir elevations for water quality considerations.
Routing of flows into and out of the reservoir would be accomplished by piping and
valves contained in a structure, designated the Gate Control Structure, located
immediately downstream of the dam. This concept was used to develop the 10% design
submittal.

As the design proceeded from the 10% level to the 30% and 60% levels, significant
changes were made in the overall design, primarily to maximize operational flexibility
and to incorporate changes in design requirements. It was determined that, under certain
conditions, it might be desirable to pump inflow into the reservoir from one source while
simultaneously withdrawing water from the reservoir. Consequently, the design evolved
into two conduits through the dam, one primarily for withdrawal from the reservoir, and
one primarily for pumping water into the reservoir. The conduits were increased in size
from the single, 54-inch diameter conduit to two 84-inch diameter conduits. The
pumping inlet conduit was provided with a single, low-level port into the reservoir. The
number of withdrawal ports was increased from five to nine, to maximize the withdrawal
level options.

Due to the number of conduits and valves necessary for this more complex facility, the
Gate Control Structure was superseded by a 50 ft by 85 ft Valve House. To maximize
operational flexibility, the piping and valving within the Valve House was designed to
accommodate reservoir inflow and outflow through either 84-inch conduit, from several
sources. Additionally, the control room and operators facilities in the Valve House were
expanded, to incorporate lavatory and lunchroom areas, for example. See Figure 2 for
the layout of the Valve House and I/O conduits at the 60% level design.

While the Olivenhain dam and I/O Works design was proceeding, the Authority and
District were also in the process of evaluating their overall system requirements, and how
the Olivenhain dam would best fit into their future operations. The Authority was also
interested in investigating possible cost reductions of the I/O Works, because the
estimated cost of the I/O Works had increased from $5.4 million to $8.7 million from the
original concept to the 60% design. As part of these efforts, we analyzed construction
cost and operational aspects for ten (10) alternative arrangements of the I/O Works.
Concurrently, reservoir limnological studies were finalized, and it was determined that a
total of six withdrawal ports would provide sufficient withdrawal options to meet the
desired water quality requirements. As a result of these initiatives, the design of the I/O
Works was revised again. The current design has a single, 84-inch diameter conduit
through the dam, connected to a tower with six I/O ports on the upstream face of the dam.
This conduit provides for both flows into and out of the reservoir. The connection from
the reservoir to Lake Hodges was moved to a separate I/O structure on the left reservoir
rim. Since the complexity of the valving and piping in the Valve House area was much
reduced, the Valve House itself was eliminated, and the piping and valving that was in the
Valve House was simply put on an exposed slab, see Figure 3. Operator and future
control facilities will be located in a new pump house to be constructed by the Authority
downstream of the dam. Until the pump house is built, controls for the I/O Works will be
located in a small structure located at the site the Valve House would have been. These
changes, in aggregate, reduced the estimated cost of the I/O Works by $1.4 million, albeit
at a reduction in operating flexibility.

I/O WORKS MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

I/O Tower Port Closure Devices

Selection of mechanical equipment for the I/O Works evolved along with the overall
design concept. The initial efforts focused on the closure devices for the multiple ports in
the tower on the upstream face of the dam. The bi-directional flow created several
relatively unique design considerations. The closure devices will always be operated in
either the full-open or full-closed condition. Regulation of inflows or outflows will be
performed outside the I/O Works. However, the devices must be able to close against
flows in either direction. Additionally, the closure device must be designed to withstand
full pressure on either side of the device and no pressure on the opposite side of the
device (pumping against closed devices with the reservoir empty, or closed with the
reservoir full and the conduit empty).

The initial design direction focused on minimizing initial capital costs, and assumed that
the closure devices would be mounted vertically on the upstream face of the tower. The
initial design criteria assumed that the devices must either open or close against the
maximum normal system flow of 380 cfs. For these conditions, several options exist.
Cast iron sluice gates are typically used as a low-cost selection for this type of service.
However, the operating head on the lowest port (over 200 ft) exceeded most suppliers’
application ranges for cast iron sluice gates. Another alternative would be fabricated
slide gates, which for these operating heads would require a custom design. Also, with
the relatively high sliding friction, close-coupled hydraulic cylinders would be the only
viable operating option. A third option is rubber-seated butterfly valves. Standard valve
designs for these operating heads and flows exist, and all suppliers contacted were
comfortable supplying valves for the submerged application. Installation and removal of
the valves on wall thimbles is comparatively simple, and the standard bolting flanges
provided a ready means to bolt a trashrack on the reservoir side of the valve. For valve
actuation, submerged hydraulic cylinders were considered to be more appropriate than
submerged electric motors, because of concerns about long-term maintenance of
submerged electric motors. At this early design stage, hydraulically-operated butterfly
valves were chosen. A valve diameter of 66-inches was chosen to provide flow-through
velocities of 10 to 15 fps, which is typical for butterfly valves. It was recognized that
inspection and maintenance of the valves could be challenging, but it was believed that
this selection offered the best compromise of structural layout, cost, performance, and
maintenance for the overall design criteria at that time.

As this initial design was reviewed, the Authority and other independent reviewers made
note of the potential maintenance concerns of submerged, hydraulically-operated
butterfly valves. More importantly, a fundamental change was made in the design
criteria. Formerly, the criteria specified that the devices be designed to close against
normal maximum flows of 380 cfs. The worst-case scenario in terms of closure,
however, would develop as a result of a pipe rupture downstream of the dam. Under that
condition, flow through a port could increase to several thousand cfs, depending upon the
location and nature of the pipe rupture. Under those conditions, none of the devices
described above could be expected to reliably close. Considering that the purpose of
constructing the reservoir was to provide emergency water storage after a major seismic
event, it was decided that the I/O Works should be designed for emergency closure under
pipe rupture conditions. Given that criteria, two options were possible: (1) changing the
port closure devices to fixed-wheel gates, ballasted to provide gravity closure without
pressure on the gate’s hydraulic cylinder; wheel gates have much lower friction during
closure than either sluice gates or slide gates, making closure of wheel gates easier and
more fail-safe; and (2) providing a spherical valve on the main I/O conduit, either in a
gallery within the dam or immediately downstream of the dam. Spherical valves can be
designed to reliably close against the high velocities caused by pipe rupture. With this
second option, the closure devices at the withdrawal ports could be revised to simple
slide gates. In reviewing this option, there did not appear to be a significant cost
difference between the options; in fact, the second option with a spherical valve might be
more expensive, depending upon the size and location of the spherical valves. Also, if
the spherical valves were located some distance away from the dam, there would be some
incremental risk of pipe rupture between the dam and the valves. For these reasons,
fixed-wheel gates were selected as the best technical solution to meet the evolving design
criteria with respect to emergency closure.

Each gate will be four feet wide by six feet high. Normally, the wheels in a fixed-wheel
gate ride along a single track on the downstream side of the gate. Since the gates must
operate against flows in both directions, tracks will be provided both upstream and
downstream of the gate. Gate seals will be provided on the side of the gates
“downstream” of the reservoir. This will provide the most positive sealing configuration
of the gates when the reservoir is full and the gates are closed, which will be the normal
condition for the gates most of the time.

The fixed-wheel gates will be operated by hydraulic cylinder operators, which will be
located in a control building at the dam crest. This arrangement eliminates the extensive
hydraulic piping that would have otherwise been located submerged in the reservoir if the
cylinders were close-coupled to the gates, and minimizes the potential for oil spills into
the reservoir. One cylinder hoist will be provided for each gate, and each cylinder will be
connected to an individual gate by an operating rod. With hydraulic cylinder operators,
the cylinders can simply be depressurized to allow the gates to close, making closure fail-
safe. An electric motor operator would require some type of positive de-clutching
mechanism to provide the same function, making emergency closure operation inherently
less reliable. Electric motor operators would also be more expensive due to the
uniqueness of the design.

In summary, the current design concept allows water to be shutoff from any port for all
flows up to and including the maximum normal design flow of approximately 380 cfs.
Additionally, the fixed-wheel gates can be closed against the flows resulting from a pipe
rupture downstream of the dam.

I/O Tower Fish Screens

As noted above, the original design concept included trashracks at each I/O port. As the
design progressed from 30% to 60%, the Authority felt that fish screens should be added
to the I/O Works to preclude the entrainment of fish into the water system. Although the
project is totally off-stream and there is no current resident fish population, the Authority
plans to provide limited recreational opportunities at the reservoir. Such opportunities
may include hiking trails and fishing. Activities involving contact with the water, such as
swimming and boating will be prohibited. At this time the Authority does not plan to
stock the reservoir with fish, however, fish may enter the reservoir via pumping from the
aqueduct or Lake Hodges, or by unauthorized planting. It is with these factors in mind
that fish screens will be provided in the I/O Works design. It should also be mentioned
that our review of other water supply reservoirs in the region has indicated a strong trend
towards providing fish screens, so the Authority decided that similar provisions should be
incorporated at Olivenhain Dam.

The fish screen system will consist of three movable fish screens, screen guides,
platforms, and fish screen hoists assemblies. This will provide one screen for each set of
two I/O ports on each side of the three-sided I/O Tower. See Figure 4 for the general
arrangement.

Total flow through each screen under normal drafting conditions will be 350 cfs. Under
emergency conditions (in the event of a pipe rupture) the flow could reach 5,200 cfs. The
screen’s effective open area will be approximately 60% of the total gross area of the
screen. The screen will be semi-circular in shape with a nominal radius of 9 ft. and a
nominal height of 20 ft. The screens will have wedge-wire screen surfaces and will be
designed for a differential head of 10-ft. Provisions will be made to raise and dogging the
screens for inspections and maintenance. A high-pressure water washdown system will
be provide for cleaning the screens.

Mechanical Equipment Downstream of Dam

Downstream of the dam, closures for routing of water and maintenance of the conduits
will be by electric-motor-operated, rubber-seated butterfly valves. This is considered to
be a standard, low-cost selection of equipment for water system applications. For
emergency reservoir evacuation to meet DSOD requirements, a 48-inch diameter,
electrically-operated, multi-port energy dissipation valve will be provided, discharging
into the spillway stilling basin. This type of valve was selected because of the need to
provide precise flow regulation and effective energy dissipation over a large range of
operating heads and flows. General arrangement of this equipment is shown in Figure 5.

Mechanical Equipment for Lake Hodges Connection

The Lake Hodges connection will generally consist of a horizontal conduit that connects
with the reservoir on the left rim of the reservoir. A vertical gate shaft will be located on
the conduit, positioned so that access to the shaft will be via an access road from the left
abutment of the dam. Following the design criteria established for the ports in the I/O
Tower, a hydraulically-operated fixed wheel gate will be provided. In addition, at the
reservoir connection, bulkhead slots will be provided to install a maintenance bulkhead
upstream of the gate.

I/O WORKS CIVIL/STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS

Main I/O Tower

The I/O Tower will be constructed as a classical I/O tower affixed to the upstream dam
face. During the 30% design development, a tower configuration alternative was
proposed where a 10 ft. diameter vertical steel pipe with I/O port tees to the reservoir
would be embedded in the dam during placement of RCC. This alternative would allow
for an efficient seismic design and would simplify placement of an upstream RCC facing
system. Though this arrangement had advantages and could have provided cost savings
for the structure itself, it was felt that the accompanying complications in RCC handling
and placement would offset any structure cost savings. Therefore, a structure attached to
the upstream face of the dam was selected as the preferred design.

The tower will have three major upstream faces; each containing a set of two I/O ports
(six total). The tower will be constructed of reinforced concrete based on ACI 318-99
and Corps of Engineers’ reinforced concrete design of hydraulic structures criteria
(USACOE 1992). Construction of the tower will either lag behind or proceed in advance
of the construction of the gravity dam so as not to interfere with the placement of RCC.
Dowels between the tower and the RCC dam will anchor the reinforced concrete tower to
the dam. The reinforced concrete tower will be designed for maximum hydrostatic
reservoir loads, hydrodynamic seismically induced reservoir loads (0.46 g), and pseudo-
static seismic inertial forces induced by the structure weight. The structural concrete wall
thickness will vary from about 5 ft. thick at the bottom of the tower to 3 ft. thick at the
top. Gate guides will be mounted to the faces of the tower to allow removal and
servicing of the fixed-wheel gates from the dam crest. Piers will extend from the lowest
gate on each face to the dam crest for mounting of the fish screen guide rails.

Lake Hodges Connection

The Reservoir I/O Structure for the Lake Hodges connection, to be located on the left rim
of the reservoir, was a feature added after the 60% design was completed. As indicated
above, the structure was added, coupled with substantial reductions in the dam I/O
Works, in an effort to reduce the total cost of the project’s inlet/outlet features. The
structure will connect to a one-mile long tunnel to Lake Hodges.

At the time of this writing, the Reservoir I/O Structure has only progressed to a
conceptual design stage. Figure 5 shows a conceptual layout of the structure. The
structure would involve a submerged trashrack; an upstream, submerged tunnel portal; a
gate shaft housing a bulkhead gate and fixed-wheel gate; a gate house/control building;
and a tunnel stub for connection to the Lake Hodges tunnel.

The Reservoir I/O Structure will be constructed as part of the dam and I/O Works general
construction package to be awarded in late 2000. The tunnel to Lake Hodges and the
Lake Hodges pump station will be constructed in a separate future contract. At this time,
the Authority is evaluating the viability of constructing a pumped storage project and
determining the operational affects of such a facility. The minimum tunnel size required
solely for pumped operation is 60 inches, though constructability considerations may
require increasing this diameter. Preliminary studies by the Authority have determined
that with the maximum pumped storage project in place, the finished tunnel diameter may
be as large as 14 feet. Resolution of the feasibility of a pumped storage project is critical
to the design of the Reservoir I/O Structure and will not be determine until mid-2000.

SUMMARY

The dam I/O Works will involve a tower with six I/O ports that will allow water to be
drafted out and pumped into the reservoir at multi-levels. The control of water releases
will be by hydraulically operated fixed-wheel gates with upstream fish screens. The
gates will be able to be operated in a fail-safe mode for protection of the downstream
facilities, including the Authority’s pump station and the District’s pump and water
treatment plants, for all normal operations, plus for the worst-case downstream pipe
rupture scenario. A single I/O conduit will convey pumped inflows and gravity outflows.
The I/O Works will also include a stand alone Reservoir I/O Structure for the Lake
Hodges connection.

The Olivenhain Dam and I/O Works are being constructed as part of a county-wide
“emergency storage program” to provide backup water storage for the Authority. The
reservoir also provides municipal water storage for the District. The design of the facility
is being fast-tracked and, therefore, design decisions are being made concurrent with the
design of the project to enable this important emergency storage facility to be placed in
operation in 2002.