A Remotely-Operated Siphon System for Water Release From Wetlands and Shallow Ponds

Abstract

The early release from wetlands and shallow ponds could provide extra water storage during heavy rainfall, thus mitigating floods. In this paper, a remotely operated integrated siphon system intended to release water from wetlands/shallow ponds ahead of (a few hours or a few days before) a heavy rainfall that is forecasted to produce flooding is proposed. Siphons work under the pull of gravity and are limited to pond berm heights below about 6 m. An array (e.g. hundreds) of the proposed siphon system can be controlled remotely by an operator or by a Decision Support System. A self-operating and remotely controlled siphon system could open the doors for managing wetlands and shallow ponds for multiple purposes, including flood control and improvement of aquatic habitat. Laboratory tests using 4 and 15 cm-diameter siphons were performed in this study. The results showed that the integrated control system is technically feasible and economically viable. INDEX TERMS Flood mitigation, remote control, smart wetland, water storage management system.

A Deterministic Topographic Wetland Index Based on LiDAR-Derived DEM for Delineating Open-Water Wetlands

“…The open-water wetlands are usually open and standing water bodies surrounded by uplands [35]. Various studies [36,37] used remotely-operated siphon system to drain water from wetlands. These wetlands would be ideal for flood mitigation since they may provide sufficient hydraulic head to release water, in turn, increase the storage capacity before a rainfall event, compared with wetlands like swamp or marsh.…”