Analysis of underwater assets: the importance of historical data

Global warming is causing glaciers to shrink and deposit moraine. Annual tidal movements lead to lacustrine landslides. During the autumn, vegetation falls into the reservoir. All this solid matter moves, accumulates and reduces the usable volume of water in the reservoir, or impedes the production plant.

Historic data provide the foundation for analysis of sediment build-up in a reservoir, in terms both of the starting point and the dynamics. Without such data, a single measurement, with no temporal dimension, carries much less weight.

Data essential for the management of the inevitable future silting up of reservoirs are now accessible. HYDRO Exploitation’s 3D reservoir mapping tools and underwater inspections enable us to undertake comprehensive and detailed analysis of your underwater assets. We are therefore able to supply current data allowing you to immediately assess and monitor the sediment dynamics and silting up of your plant.

We have been working since 2010 in Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria and Albania, with fully satisfied clients. However, on every project the question arises as to whether there are historic data, with the significance of this question linked to the extent of the silting process. These data are often lacking, so making it more difficult to develop a technical solution or plan for it financially.

How do we assess the cost of emptying a reservoir, or desilting production or security equipment? Assessment is never easy, but the costs are significantly higher when the problem is urgent.