Improving the efficiency of operational measures on reducing the sediment capture in the irrigation system water intake

Introduction. The article considers operational measures of channel process regulation in the headwater of low-pressure front water intake located on rivers with abundant sediment loads. In addition to deep hydraulic flushing, the study proposes the method of task-oriented handling of the watergate screens. It allows reducing the amount of irrigation system channel siltation and significantly reducing the expenses for mechanical cleaning. An analysis of the problems of practical implementation of hydraulic methods to reduce the sediment capture in water intakes and the necessity of moving to the advanced technological level of irrigation system management is given. The international experience of irrigation system management modernization based on the principle of integration and activation of interested parties in the decision-making process is considered. Materials and methods. The studies of hydraulic methods of impact on channel processes during the water intake operation were carried out on physical eroded models (large-scale one and fragmented one). When conducting field research, the article analyzed the economic situations in addition to the hydraulic studies. Results. The research has developed a schematic diagram for the creation of artificial circulation zones, Based on the results of the research on a large-scale field eroded model of the frontal water intake. This makes it possible to redirect a part of the sediment flow from the water intake to the spillway dam open gates and reduce the channel siltation intensity. The dependences were obtained for the amount of sediment captured in the water intake on the ratio of water flow taken into the main channel and discharged through the bottom flushing galleries, which allow interactive schedule adjustment of water supply to agricultural producers depending on hydrological and climatic conditions. Conclusions. The hydraulic methods usage scale and their efficiency depend on applying modern analytical methods and digital technologies in the development of operational patterns as well as on the improvement of the regulatory framework and the organizational and economic mechanism for the irrigation system management.