CFD modelling of flow in Colombia river, downstream Wanapum dam

Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research has a project on determining the flow pattern in Colombia River downstream Wanapum dam. In the present case, water is flowing out of the turbines and over the spillway.

More detailed project description

The SSIIM model was used to compute the velocities for the current case. The results are given below:

The bed levels are shown with colours in the grid. Red is high level and blue is low level. The grid has ten cells in the vertical direction.

Horizontal velocities close to the water surface. Red is high velocity and blue is low velocity. The two areas with high velocity are the inflow from the spillway (upper left) and the outflow.

Velocity vectors close to the bed

Velocity vectors close to the water surface

Velocity vectors in a cross-section at the spillway. The water from the spillway has high velocity, and there is a recirculation zone close to the bed

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This project was carried out in cooperation with Dr. Larry Weber at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research.

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