Protecting dams during record snowmelt: A real-time monitoring success
During the winter of 2022 to 2023, the Eastern Sierra Mountain ranges in California experienced record snowfall. While this snowfall was a welcome relief after years of drought, it also posed a threat to Owens Valley’s water infrastructure. The projected snowmelt was expected to exceed the capacity of the region’s water collection system.
In response, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) increased real-time monitoring for three of their key dams and reservoirs: South Haiwee, Tinemaha, and Long Valley. The goal was to closely track the dams’ conditions and responses to the anticipated snowmelt.
PROJECT DETAILS
PROJECT:
Owens Valley, CA Dams Monitoring
LOCATION:
United States
DATE:
2024 – ongoing
MEASUREMENTS:
Key parameters at the dam, tracking reservoir levels, weir measurements, and piezometer readings
SECTOR:
Environmental
SERVICES:
- 18 Thread X3 units connected to field cameras for live visual monitoring
- 3 Worldsensing Gateways enabling long-range communication
- 20 Event Detection Tiltmeters for monitoring deformation or slope movement, integrated with Sensemetrics and Bentley iTwin IoT
- 30 one-channel Vibrating Wire Loggers connected to various turbidity sensors and piezometers
Project Solution
The project team, alongside the Instrumentation Solution Provider, Specto Technology, rapidly mobilized to install and configure the system before the expected peak of snowmelt. With snowmelt already occurring in the surrounding watershed, it was crucial to proceed with deployment to gather vital data and manage potential risks effectively.
The team worked tirelessly to design, install, configure, and display real-time metrics from the project, including: 18 Thread X3 units connected to field cameras for live visual monitoring; 3 Worldsensing Gateways enabling long-range communication; 20 Event Detection Tiltmeters for monitoring deformation or slope movement, integrated with Sensemetrics and Bentley iTwin IoT; and 30 one-channel Vibrating Wire Loggers connected to various turbidity sensors and piezometers. The system provided comprehensive monitoring of key parameters at the dam, tracking reservoir levels, weir measurements, and piezometer readings across multiple locations to detect any abnormal changes.
Benefits
This project supplied LADWP with real-time data to assess how their dams responded to the unprecedented snowmelt volumes. It provided the organization with peace of mind by delivering synchronized, hourly monitoring data and images from the remote dam sites—something that would have been impossible to achieve manually.
Advantages
- Increased real-time monitoring capabilities, thanks to the installation and configuration of advanced monitoring systems, including field cameras, gateways, tiltmeters, and various sensors.
- Improved risk management with the set-up of an early warning system, measuring deformation or abnormal changes in water levels.
- Expanded coverage and efficiency. The use of remote monitoring allowed LADWP to collect data of multiple dam sites simultaneously. The automated system provided a comprehensive overview of the dams’ conditions, enabling more efficient and effective management of the water resources.
Our Methodology - How We Work With You
Step 1
Discovery
We begin by learning details of your projects, including timeframe, regulations, potential issues, budget and other requirements
Step 2
Development
Once we understand your needs, we develop a complete, turnkey solution with hardware and software that will not onlu meet, but exceed your requirements, keeping both the budget and timeframe in mind.
Step 3
Implementation
We support you every step of the way, providing hands-on equipment and software training for your team to ensure that your monitoring program is successful
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For Sales, Rentals and Quotes, please contact us by filling out the form below. Our knowledgeable staff are ready and eager to assist you!