Study of Flooding Behavior and Discharge from Karot Dam in the Event of a Possible Breach by Using the Hydrodynamic Model

This study utilizes the MIKE 11 hydrodynamic model developed by the Danish Hydraulic Institute to simulate flood behavior downstream of Karot Dam under multi-year in-flow conditions. The key parameters analyzed include breach characteristics, flood duration, water depth, flow velocity, discharge rate, and downstream distance. After dam failure, the peak discharge reaches 33,171 m3/s, exceeding the 10,000-year recurrence peak flow of 32,300 m3/s, with a breach duration of 2 h. The estimated peak discharge after simulation using empirical equations and comparative analyses showed maximum flood discharges of 28,187 m3/s, 28,922 m3/s, and 29,769 m3/s, with breach widths of 181 m, 256 m, and 331 m, respectively. The peak discharge predicted to reach the outlet with travel time ranging from 4 h 25 min to 4 h 40 min. Under multi-year average inflow conditions, Mangla Dam faces no risk of failure, with a maximum outflow of 12,097 m3/s and a spillway capacity of 30,147 m3/s. The model accurately predicted discharge values, with a strong correlation coefficient of R2 = 0.9653, indicating strong agreement between the actual water level data and predicted discharge. These insights are essential for developing effective emergency response strategies to mitigate the risks associated with dam failure.