Notebook
14
InfrastructureModelled
Dam & Substations
136 Mm³ highland dam · 62.4 Mm³/yr catchment · pysheds watershed delineation · 18 substations
136 Mm³
gross capacity
Dam storage
62.4 Mm³
Mean Annual Runoff
Annual inflow (mod.)
6.9 years
at design demand
Storage buffer
624 km²
Sheikh highlands
Catchment area
ICOLD II
regulatory standard
Dam class
18
primary grid network
Substations
⚠ MAR is modelled — not measured
The 62.4 Mm³/yr Mean Annual Runoff figure comes from GIS catchment delineation using SRTM DEM and the Thornthwaite rainfall-runoff model. It has not been validated by physical stream gauging. ToR A (hydrological study) is the single most important action required. The dam size, cost, and water balance all depend on this figure.
Dam Design Parameters
| Parameter | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Earthfill / rockfill (zoned) | Preliminary |
| Gross storage | 136 Mm³ | Modelled |
| Live storage | 122 Mm³ (90% of gross) | Modelled |
| Crest elevation | ~1,420m ASL (approx.) | Modelled |
| Dam height | ~45m (estimated) | Modelled |
| Catchment area | 624 km² | GIS-derived |
| Design flood (Q1000) | TBD — requires gauging | Pending |
| Freeboard | Min 1.5m above PMF | Requirement |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled ogee, concrete | Preliminary |
| ICOLD class | Class II (moderate hazard) | Requirement |
All design parameters are preliminary. Full feasibility requires ToR A + D (hydrology + geotechnical)
pysheds Catchment Delineation
The pysheds library delineates the Sheikh highlands catchment using the SRTM 30m DEM. The workflow fills pits, computes flow direction (D8), accumulates flow, and extracts the catchment boundary at the dam pour point.
# pysheds workflow — NB14
from pysheds.grid import Grid
grid = Grid.from_raster('srtm_sheikh.tif')
dem = grid.read_raster(...)
pit_filled = grid.fill_pits(dem)
fdir = grid.flowdir(pit_filled, dirmap='d8')
acc = grid.accumulation(fdir)
catch = grid.catchment(fdir, x=pour_lon, y=pour_lat)
# Result: 624 km² catchment delineated
Note: pysheds requires LiDAR/UAV DTM (5cm) to reach engineering accuracy. Current SRTM 30m DEM is a placeholder. Once ToR B (UAV survey) is complete, the catchment boundary and MAR calculation should be re-derived.
Power Substation Network (18 stations)
| Substation | Capacity | Location | Feeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| SS-01 (main) | 132 kV / 33 kV | Solar farm gate | City ring main |
| SS-02 (BEZ) | 33 kV / 11 kV | BEZ entrance | Industrial zone |
| SS-03 (port) | 33 kV / 11 kV | Port access | Port operations |
| SS-04 (SWRO) | 33 kV / 11 kV | SWRO plant | Desalination loads |
| SS-05 (urban N) | 11 kV / 0.4 kV | Northern residential | Z4 distribution |
| SS-06 (urban S) | 11 kV / 0.4 kV | Southern zone | Z3 distribution |
12 additional distribution substations in Phases 2–3 (full list in NB14)
Grid Architecture
Generation voltage34.5 kV (solar inverter output)
Transmission ring132 kV underground cable (city loop)
Primary distribution33 kV overhead line network
Secondary distribution11 kV urban network
LV service0.4 kV (3-phase + neutral)
BESS integrationGrid-scale at SS-01, 6hr Phase 3
SCADA controlCentralised operations centre