Chirkey Dam
Encyclopedia
The Chirkey Dam is an arch dam
on the Sulak River
in Dagestan
, Russia
. The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and it supports a 1,000 MW power station. Construction on the dam began in 1964, the first generator was operational by 1974, the last in 1976 while the project was complete in 1978.
. The dam withholds a 2780000000 cubic metre reservoir of which 1320000000 cubic metre is active or "useful" storage. The reservoir has a surface are of 42.4 km² (16 sq mi), length of 40 km² (15 sq mi) and maximum width of 5 km² (2 sq mi). Maximum depth of the reservoir is 200 m (656 ft) and its catchment area is 11290 km² (4,359 sq mi).
The dam's spillway
consists of a 509 m (1,670 ft) long non-pressure tunnel with its intake on the left bank of the dam. The spillway's capacity is 2900 m3/s. The dam's outlet works
, spillway and power station have a combined discharge capacity of 3550 m3/s.
The dam's power station contains 4 x 250 MW generators for a total installed capacity of 1,000 MW. Each generator is supplied with water by a penstock
, all four of which intake on the upstream side of the dam's face and run down the its surface toward the power station at the dam's base.
Arch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
on the Sulak River
Sulak River
The Sulak is a river in Dagestan, Russia. It starts at the confluence of the Avar Koisu and the Andi Koisu rivers. It comes down the Main Sulak Canyon and the Akhetl and Chirkei gorges and the Minor Sulak Canyon...
in Dagestan
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and it supports a 1,000 MW power station. Construction on the dam began in 1964, the first generator was operational by 1974, the last in 1976 while the project was complete in 1978.
Design
The dam is a 232.5 m (763 ft) tall and 338 m (1,109 ft) long (crest) concrete arch dam. It is 6 m (20 ft) wide at its crest, 30 m (98 ft) wide at its base and contains 1275000 cubic metre of concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
. The dam withholds a 2780000000 cubic metre reservoir of which 1320000000 cubic metre is active or "useful" storage. The reservoir has a surface are of 42.4 km² (16 sq mi), length of 40 km² (15 sq mi) and maximum width of 5 km² (2 sq mi). Maximum depth of the reservoir is 200 m (656 ft) and its catchment area is 11290 km² (4,359 sq mi).
The dam's spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
consists of a 509 m (1,670 ft) long non-pressure tunnel with its intake on the left bank of the dam. The spillway's capacity is 2900 m3/s. The dam's outlet works
Outlet works
A set of outlet works is a device used to release and regulate water flow from a dam. Such devices usually consist of one or more pipes or tunnels through the embankment of the dam, directing water usually under high pressure to the river downstream...
, spillway and power station have a combined discharge capacity of 3550 m3/s.
The dam's power station contains 4 x 250 MW generators for a total installed capacity of 1,000 MW. Each generator is supplied with water by a penstock
Penstock
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills....
, all four of which intake on the upstream side of the dam's face and run down the its surface toward the power station at the dam's base.
External links
- Photos of the dam at EnglishRussia.com