Stepped Chute Spillway Design for Embankment Dams

Changing demographics in the vicinity of dams have led to hazard creep in a number of dams worldwide. Many of these dams now have insufficient spillway capacity as a result of these changes in hazard classification from low to significant or high hazard. Stepped chutes applied to the embankment dams offer an advantage by providing increased spillway capacity. This webinar provides an overview on stepped chute research conducted at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit in Stillwater, OK. Scientists have developed relationships and compared them to those available in literature for the design of stepped chutes applied to embankment dams.

People who take this course will learn the following information regarding stepped chute design:

Background and basis for stepped chute research and the development of design relationships with regards to the USDA.
Methods for determining the inception point location, flow depth, clear-water flow depth, average air concentration, bulked flow depth, and energy coefficient.
Impact parameters like unit discharge, step height and chute slope have on training wall height and stilling basin design requirements.
Use of USDA-ARS methods for design of stepped chutes (Design example)
Discussion of designing converging stepped chutes.
Future research needs: Training wall height requirements for containing splash, Stilling basin design for non-converging and converging chutes.

Speaker and Presenter Information

Dr. Sherry Hunt is Acting Research Leader and Research Civil Engineer at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit, Stillwater, OK. She also serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK. She has over 10 years of engineering experience and has authored numerous publications in the area of water resources. She is a recognized authority in the area of roller compacted concrete stepped spillways and in the development of technology for the effective and economical design and rehabilitation of watershed flood control structures and channels.

Relevant Government Agencies

Army, Dept of Energy, Dept of Homeland Security, Dept of the Interior, Other Federal Agencies, State Government, County Government, City Government, Municipal Government, FEMA, Federal Government, State & Local Government