Design and implementation of an irrigation canal SCADA

Abstract

In Portugal all of the upstream controlled canal systems work with flexible water delivery schedules and therefore canal operational losses can be significant. Real-time technologies can allow the canal managers to continuously compare the real operation with its optimal or target value and to take appropriate corrective steps as required and minimize the water operational losses. The paper presents the design, field solutions and tuning of an implemented SCADA system on a Portuguese upstream controlled canal. Remote monitoring allows the data acquisition of water levels, gate positions and inflow and outflow computations. Remote control allows the operator to send control orders to gates. Two networks, including their remote terminal units and the needed communication and control software are parts of the presented SCADA system. This system controls the inflows to the main canal and main laterals, as well as the main outlets to the drainage system with gate controlled orifices. All the discharge equations are tuned in the field. The outflows through weirs or Neyrpic automatic siphons from the main laterals are also monitorized and their discharge equations are also tuned in the field.