What are Hydraulic Structures: Meaning, Types, Functions and Environmental Importance

Hydraulic structures are indispensable for preventing natural disasters and managing water challenges. These efficiently designed structures are built to control and utilize water flow for different purposes such as irrigation, drinking water supply, flood control or power generation. Based on the purpose and location of hydraulic structures they are classified into different types. Some of the most common hydraulic structures around us are dams, canals, spillways and barrages. Let’s learn in detail about hydraulics structure, their different categories, types and importance in our environment.

Table of Contents

• What is meant by Hydraulic Structures
• Classification of Hydraulic Structures
• Importance of Hydraulic Structures

What is meant by Hydraulics Structures

Hydraulic structures are constructions designed to store, utilize and manage the water flow from rivers, canals and other water bodies. These structures such as dams, canals and splitways are mainly used for storage, diversion, conveyance and regulation of water. Some of these are energy dissipators and cross drainage structures used for irrigation, flood control and power generation. These structures play an important role for the betterment of human beings and for our environment.

Classification of Hydraulic Structures

The hydraulic structures can be classified into different categories based on the work it performs. Each category in these hydraulic structures serves a specific purpose in the effective management, utilization and conservation of water resources, making them essential components of modern water infrastructure. Some of the main categories of these structures and their functioning is explained below in detail:

Storage Structures: These are the water retaining structures built to store surplus water to cover the needs during deficit. One of the most common examples of these structures are dams and reservoirs built on rivers to hold water. 

Divergence Structures: These critical water management structures are not built to store water, instead they release extra water from reservoirs or rivers into a canal or channels. These special structures are highly important in controlling floods. They are also used for diverging water for energy generation. Some examples are barrages and spillways.

Conveying Structures: These hydraulic structures are built to transport water from one source to another. For example, aqueducts and flumes used for carrying water on the ground for irrigation.

Cross-drainage Systems: These are the structures that manage a safe intersection between a canal and a natural channel such as river, stream or seasonal rainwater drains. It prevents the mixing of water between canal water and natural drainage. For example, culverts that carry a small pipe under the canal or a road.

Energy Dissipators: These special purpose structures that are built to reduce the kinetic energy of high velocity water to safe and non-erosive levels. They protect down stream channels, river beds and structures from severe erosion.

Importance of Hydraulic Structures 

Hydraulic structures such as dams, canals, spillways and barrages play an important role for food production, disaster management and economic development of the nations. Dams and reservoirs are the storage structures that ensure adequate supply of water during shortage of water supply. They are also important in supporting trade, controlling erosion and enabling industrial operations. Some of the major important roles these structures play in our environment are:

Power Generation: The water stored in dams and reservoirs is transferred to various places to serve different purposes such as harnessing the flow of water to produce electricity. 

Maintaining Water Supply: The storage hydraulic structures store water during surplus seasons to match the water demand during the hot and dry seasons. 

Disaster Management: Special divergent river structures like barrages manage the overflow and release the water in a controlled manner to avoid flooding situations.

Environmental Protection: These structures reduce the velocity of water to safer levels saving and and structures against erosion and flood damage.