Open Channel Maintenance Department

The department deals with developing various means for waterways maintenance (e.g. canals- drains). The department mainly focuses on open channels hydraulic problems (e.g. side slope failure, seepage losses, sedimentation, scouring, hydraulic efficiency reduction, etc.) and set up the required maintenance programs to improve the hydraulic efficiency. The department includes four technical units with various activities as follow:-

A- Hydraulic Efficiency Evaluation Unit

Unit activities include:-
- Analyze and evaluate open channels hydraulic efficiency.
- Assess open channels capacity to carry the required discharges.
- Develop methods to reduce water losses in waterways.
- Study and evaluate open channel coverage in residential areas and elsewhere.
- Study sand dunes movement and possible threat to open channel network.

B- Maintenance Evaluation Unit

Unit activities include:
- Determination of appropriate maintenance procedures for each waterway conditions.
- Performance evaluation and following- up the applied maintenance programs on waterways.

C- Lining Unit

Unit activities include:
- Evaluating and developing lining procedures and the required materials.
- Analyze the hydraulic properties of lined channels.
- Proposing suitable maintenance procedure for lined channels with sustaining lining safety.
- Designing and recommending channel side slopes’ protection works.
- Study seepage losses and other losses from earthen and lined channels.

D- Hydro-geographic Information Unit

Unit activities include:
- Establishing and maintaining updated database on the hydraulic and geographic information of various waterways.
- Establishing and maintaining updated database for waterways’ maintenance activities.