The representatives of the Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company (NTEC) announced the possible construction of a hydraulic structure in Norilsk at a meeting with a delegation from the Federation Council. This need is explained by the fact that for many years the water level in Norilka has been decreasing.
An off-site meeting with a group of officials from the Federation Council delegation was held at water intake No. 2. Representatives of the NTEC told what problems the company has to face.
The Norilsk water supply networks are 425 kilometers long: 240 – drinking and 180 – technical. On the territory of Norilsk, water is taken from three surface sources: the first and second water intakes on the Norilskaya river, as well as lake Alykel, which is a separate isolated water supply system for the local airport facilities. There are three more underground sources: Yergalahsky which provides groundwater for the central district, Talnahsky underground water intake, and the Ambarnensky water intake – for Kayerkan.
The entire Norilsk water system is pressurized, it is supplied with the help of pumping units. Before getting into residential buildings and various institutions, water goes through the treatment facilities. There are pressure filters with quartz sand, they pass 6 000 cubic meters of water per hour. In addition, the water undergoes a disinfection stage.
With its task – to provide Norilsk with water – the NTEC copes successfully, however, it is becoming more difficult to do this. In recent years, the Norilskaya river has become shallow.
This problem first appeared in 2013, then it all happened again in 2016 and 2018. Now the situation is also like that. Due to the fact that we have a small amount of precipitation in the summer, the water level decreases. For example, this season over the summer only 30 percent of precipitation fell out of the long-term average.
Today the water level is 12.85 meters. The minimum level seven years ago was slightly less – 12.42. Water drops to a critical level in spring. The same situation was observed in 1940, 1963 and 1968.
In order to somehow remedy the situation, it was decided to create a temporary rock-fill dam. It takes about a month to build the structure, but the most difficult thing is to disassemble it in the spring. During the winter, it freezes strongly that even heavy equipment cannot break it.
“Everything that is possible is cleaned in the spring, water passes through in order not to get the opposite effect and not to flood water intakes and infrastructure on the banks. And in the fall, when we passed the flood through the crest of our low-water dam, the second stage of dismantling is underway”, says Anton Pryamitsky, Deputy Chief Engineer for Hydraulic Engineering of the NTEC.
The constructing and dismantling of the temporary dam is carried out annually, it takes about 25 million rubles. Nevertheless, the NTEC believes that another solution should be sought, and the point here is not at all about money. Manipulations with the dam are not liked environmental structures, they annually sue the NTEC, and impose fines. However, without a dam there is a risk of leaving Norilsk without water at all.
In 2017, a feasibility study was carried out, within the framework of which various options were considered for overcoming the situation.
Various options were considered, including laying a pipeline from the Yenisey to Dudinka. The second option is the creation of a hydraulic structure on the Rybnaya river, which is the main source of the Norilskaya river. The third is the underground expansion of water intakes.
As a result, the creation of a permanent hydraulic structure on Rybnaya river was recognized as the most efficient and cost-effective. The preliminary cost of the project is six billion rubles. It is assumed that the hydraulic structure will be a low-water dam one. During most of the year, when the water level is at a normal level, it will be passed through numerous culverts.
Text: Vera Karpenko, Photo: Denis Kozhevnikov, Nikolay Alexandrov, moya-planeta.ru
