Authors
Abstract
Kmait River is a flood escape that was constructed to divert water during
flood season from Tigris River to Al Huwayza Marsh through AsSanna'f Marsh.
Water stored in Al Huwayza Marsh is then discharged to Tigris River, through Al
Kassara River, and to Shatt Al Arab River, through AsSuwayb River.
Kmait River, AsSanna'f Marsh, and Al Huwayza Marsh form one
hydrological system. Therefore, the capacity of AsSanna'f Marsh and the capacity
and operation schedule of Al Huwayza Marsh were taken into consideration when
developing the capacity of Kmait River.
It was found, by using a one dimensional flow simulation model, that the
present discharge capacity of Kmait flood escape does not exceed 80m3/sec, and
this discharge can’t be diverted completely into Al Huwayza Marsh during January
and February months of a wet year unless the discharge capacity of AsSanna'f
Marsh outlet is increased from its current capacity of 402m3/sec to 468m3/sec.
It was found that the contraction in last part of Kmait River is throttling the
discharge. If this part is reshaped, the capacity of Kmait river will increased to
250m3/sec, which could be diverted into Al Huwayza Marsh if AsSanna'f Marsh
outlet reshaped and its capacity increased to 569m3/sec.
Depending on the maximum allowable monthly inflow of Al Huwayza
Marsh incase of replacing its present outlets control structures by new ones with a
capacity of 500m3/sec, Al Huwayza Marsh will absorb floods diverted from Tigris
River at design capacity of the control structure of Kmait River of 400m3/sec after
reshaping the river cross sections and increasing the discharge capacity of
AsSanna'f Marsh outlet to 744m3/sec.
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