(Seminar on Private Sector Participation in Hydropower Development, 7-9 May, 2002 pp. DP 38-45)
Data collection or investigation is a very important fundamental work for the project design. Comparing with large and medium hydropower projects, data collection for small hydro has the characteristics of being much simplified, fast, economic and appropriate. However, these features of data collection are not to imply that data collection of SHP can be carried out carelessly. But it implies that its method adopted must correspond with the project scale and function and do not copy indiscriminately the experience of large scale hydro power projects.
The problems caused by insufficient investigations, encountered in implementing small hydropower (SHP) development are:
Due to inaccurate calculation of the annual run off or improper adoption of water flow for generating power, the installed capacity of power station become abnormally large or small.
Due to under estimation of the flood or insufficient capacity of spillway, the flood over the dam crest or spillway may cause serious damage to the dam/intake structure and sometime power house may also be affected.
Due to neglecting the geological exploration work or failing in taking appropriate measures in design, some structures may get damaged by piping, uneven settlement and serious downstream scouring (erosion).
It becomes more important to go into a reasonable investigation as most of the time there will not be much data available and cost economics would not permit to go far longer duration investigations.
As evident from above, it will be very important to carry out a series of field or site investigations. These investigations may entail the collection and recording of a wide range of information, possibly from an extensive area of the country and may invite the attention of a number of people over a considerable period of time. It is, therefore, be advisable at the very outset, to initiate a well considered programme of investigations at the site, so that the available time, personnel and equipment may be employed to the greatest advantage.
