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SMALL CANAL STRUCTURES
C. CROSS-DRAINAGE STRUCTURES
419, General —The need for cross-rainage
structures results from the flow of drainage or
storm runoff water from the high side of the
canal to the low side. To protect the canal
from such flows, crossdrainage structures are
provided at locations best suited for handling
them!
While the alinement of a canal usually
follows the natural ground contours, in the
interest of economy it is often necessary to
take shortcuts across natural drainages or
through ridges. In crossing natural drainage
channels, the canal flows may go under the
channel in a siphon, or the channel flows may
go under the canal in a culvert. Where natural
channels are not available, or where economy
dictates, the crosslrainage flows may be
carried over the canal in an overchute, or small
flows may be taken into the canal through a
drain inlet
Cross-drainage flows are sometimes collected
in open drain channels which parallel the canal
on the uphill side. These drain channels may
carry the water to a natural channel, where it is,
conducted under the canal in a culvert, ot to a
collection point where the water can be carried
over the canal in an overchute, or into the
canal through a drain inlet, or over a siphon
crossing,
(a) Siphon Crossings.—(See subchapter Il
C.) Where a small canal crosses a large drainage
channel, it is usually more economical to carry
the canal water under the channel in an
inverted siphon than to carry the drainage
water under the canal through a culvert.
Siphons provide excellent reliability, as the
accuracy of the cross