Conceptual Design of the Gusarchay Reservoir
A large-scale conceptual hydraulic engineering project focused on water resource development and the modernization of irrigation networks across northeastern Azerbaijan. The initiative outlines the establishment of a strategic storage reservoir on the Gusarchay mountain river in the Gusar district. The primary mission of the headworks is to deliver dependable, year-round irrigation across a 20,600-hectare agricultural command area, enabling the agricultural development of 9,900 hectares of newly commissioned arable and orchard lands.
The technical study systematically evaluates two alternative dam axis alignments:
• Alignment 1 (Dam 1):
– Option 1: a 60 m high dam with a crest length of 268 m, creating an impoundment capacity of 8.96 million m³;
– Option 2: an 80 m high dam with a crest length of 390 m, yielding an expanded volume of 20.10 million m³;
• Alignment 2 (Dam 2):
– A 60 m high dam with a crest length of 545 m, impounding a reservoir with a total storage capacity of 22.00 million m³.
The engineering analysis encompasses flood discharge hydrographs, geotechnical foundation assessments, energy dissipation spillway designs, and hydraulic integration into regional conveyance canal arteries.
