Water transfer and dam construction projects

Layering in earth and gravel dams

Core: The heart of the dam that prevents water from passing through. It is usually made of clay with very high impermeability properties.
Filter layers: They are placed on both sides of the core. Their function is to allow water to pass through slowly but not to allow soil particles in the core to be washed away.
Shell: The outer layers of the dam, which are made of large rocks and river materials.
Rip-Rap: At the highest level (reservoir side), a layer of large, heavy rocks is placed to prevent erosion of the dam soil due to the impact of water waves.

Transferring water from the dam to the city

Water is taken from the dam reservoir through intake towers. These towers usually have valves at several elevations to select the best quality water (usually surface water with less turbidity).

Transmission lines: Water is directed to the treatment plant through large pipes (2 to 4 meters in diameter) made of steel or reinforced concrete. This water may be transported by gravity (if the treatment plant is at a lower elevation) or by giant pumping stations.