×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Tailwater and Headwater as they pertain to Floodwalls

Tailwater and Headwater as they pertain to Floodwalls

Tailwater and Headwater as they pertain to Floodwalls

(OP)
I have been trying to find out the definition of tailwater and headwater as they pertain to Floodwalls.

I have read how they pertain to conduits, dams, etc. but not how they relate to floodwalls.

From researching I believe the Tailwater is the water elevation on the landside of the floodwall and Headwater is the water elevation on the waterside of the floodwall.

I would appreciate if you guys can lead me to some literature that this describes this, or can verify my assumption.

Thanks

RE: Tailwater and Headwater as they pertain to Floodwalls

Head water is the water upstream of the dam whereas tail water is at the downstream of dam. The level of tail water is generally called TWL (Tail Water Level).

Head water
-----------|
             |\dam
                    Tail water
               --------------------         flow--->

RE: Tailwater and Headwater as they pertain to Floodwalls

(OP)
Thanks.  But I am trying to figuere out how those two terms relate to a floodwall.

RE: Tailwater and Headwater as they pertain to Floodwalls

gman1,

For dams the headwater and the tailwater numenclature are as explained by flame.  However, it seems that for floodwalls there is no consistency in numenclature.  My own inclination is to call the "headwater" where the water is, and "tailwater" where I want it to go.

In the case of a floodwall, if I was designing the drainage system, I would call the protected side the headwater and the floodway the tailwater.

I found the following document www.usace.army.mil/publications/eng-tech-ltrs/etl1... , which supports my own preference.

In any case, I suggest that you call each side as you see fit, be consistent and add a glossary to your report.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources