“The installation of a second gate, 17.3 metres long and 2 metres high, is the most technically and logistically demanding part of the renovation project. It requires precise coordination of all professionals, work with heavy equipment and maximum emphasis on safety, all while the weir is in full operation. For us, this is a key moment in the construction project. In parallel with the renovation of the weir, we are also preparing the construction of a small hydroelectric power plant that will supply energy to the distribution grid, and work is also continuing on a fish ladder, one third of which has been completed so far," said Metrostav CZ project manager Lubomír Mik.
Rajhrad weir is a key element of the water management system for the Svratka River below Brno. It stabilises the level of the river and the groundwater level in the Rajhrad area and contributes significantly to flood protection of the area. The new steel gates are designed as modern steel structures, raised by 30 centimetres compared to the original gates.
“Raised steel gates with modern automatic control will allow more efficient and faster regulation of flows between the individual branches of the Svratka. Thanks to this, there will be a reduction in fluctuations in the upstream reservoir level, which currently reach up to 20 centimetres twice a day during peak periods at Kníničky small hydroelectric power plant,“ said Povodí Moravy investment director Tomáš Bělaška.
The renovation of the historic weir is being coordinated with the construction of a small hydroelectric power plant and a fish ladder on the right bank. Metrostav CZ took advantage of the concurrence of the construction projects and technically connected the repair of the right pillar to the creation of new water management structures. Two Kaplan turbines will be installed in the small hydropower plant, using a gradient of 5.2 metres at a maximum flow of 10 m³/s. The fish ladder combines the technical solution with natural elements in the form of boulder barriers and resting pools, and will include long-term monitoring of its functionality. The new fish ladder will thus connect two sections of the Svratka River with a total length of 25.3 kilometres.
The financial costs for the weir’s renovation amounting to CZK 70 million are co-financed by the Ministry of Agriculture under the Support for Flood Prevention V subsidy programme. The entire renovation project, including the construction of the power plant, will cost CZK 225 million and is co-financed by government and European subsidies.
Contact Details
Radim Mana
Metrostav Group Spokesman
Metrostav a.s. Koželužská 2450/4 180 00 Prague 8
T 266 019 715, M 601 110 376
radim.mana@metrostav.cz, www.metrostav.cz
