engineering

List of reservoirs by volume

List of reservoirs by volume is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand List of reservoirs by volume rather than just read about it. In short: The classification of a reservoir by volume is not as straightforward as it may seem. As the name implies, water is held in reserve by a reservoir so it can serve a purpose.

Key takeaways

List of reservoirs by volume belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect List of reservoirs by volume to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of List of reservoirs by volume from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The classification of a reservoir by volume is not as straightforward as it may seem. As the name implies, water is held in reserve by a reservoir so it can serve a purpose. For example, in Thailand, reservoirs tend to store water from the wet season to prevent flooding, then release it during the dry season for farmers to grow rice. For this type of reservoir, almost the entire volume of the reservoir functions for the purpose it was built. Hydroelectric power generation, on the other hand, requires many dams to build up a large volume before operation can begin. For this type of reservoir only a small portion of the water held behind the dam is useful. Therefore, knowing the purpose for which a reservoir has been constructed, and knowing how much water can be used for that purpose, helps determine how much water is in possible reserve.

Terminology The following terms are used in connection with the volume of reservoirs:

Nominal volume Capacity The total volume of all water held behind a dam at the maximum level possible. Initial volume Design volume The possible volume within the reservoir after it first opens. Many rivers are high in silt that over time deposits behind a dam reducing capacity. Active volume Live volume The total capacity minus the dead pool volume. This is the volume that can serve some downstream purpose. For example, it is the volume available to make hydroelectric power or provide drinking water to a city. Dead pool volume Minimum volume The amount of water left in a reservoir that cannot be used for the purpose for which the reservoir was constructed. At this state, the reservoir is termed fully drawn down. For example, if built to supply water in the dry season, it is the water left behind when no more water can be extracted. Frequently, the effective minimum volume is greater if the water is needed for a purpose behind a dam. Available capacity May require knowing the reservoir's primary purpose. If it is designed to prevent flooding, it may be the volume of water that can be retained before reaching maximum or top water. Actual Current When coupled with another term, reflects the fact the level behind the dam is not constant.

Expanded versus artificial lakes The list below largely ignores many natural lakes that have been augmented with the addition of a relatively minor dam. For example, a small dam, two hydroelectric plants, and locks on the outlet of Lake Superior make it possible to artificially control the lake level. Certainly, the great majority of the lake is natural. However, the control of water that can be held in reserve means a portion of the vast lake functions as a reservoir. Recognition of lakes like Lake Superior greatly changes the list below. For example, the Francis H. Clergue Generating Station and Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant, which are both on the lake's outlet, operate with just 5.9 meters total head. This is short compared to other dams. However, when viewed against the 81,200 km2 area of the lake, even a small range in Lake Superior's water level means its active volume is greater than the largest nominal in the table below.

List

See also List of reservoirs by surface area List of conventional hydroelectric power stations List of largest reservoirs in the United States

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with List of reservoirs by volume

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what List of reservoirs by volume claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to List of reservoirs by volume before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about List of reservoirs by volume ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of List of reservoirs by volume

In research: List of reservoirs by volume appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses List of reservoirs by volume in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: List of reservoirs by volume is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Lists of bodies of water, Lists of buildings and structures, Reservoirs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for List of reservoirs by volume outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study List of reservoirs by volume in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what List of reservoirs by volume means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain List of reservoirs by volume out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is List of reservoirs by volume in simple terms?

The classification of a reservoir by volume is not as straightforward as it may seem. As the name implies, water is held in reserve by a reservoir so it can serve a purpose.

Why does List of reservoirs by volume matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study List of reservoirs by volume?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on List of reservoirs by volume.