Since the SAIH-Segura has been implemented and functioning, it has been obtaining data of a hydrological, hydraulic and other complementary nature: rainfall, levels of reservoirs and gauging stations and control points in beds and channels, circulating flows, pumping stations, positions of floodgates, level and intruder alarms, tensions of batteries,..., throughout the whole territorial environment of the river basin.
Its management and daily activity have been divided and specified basically in four different sections:
- System maintenance and conservation.
- System operation.
- Technological-functional improvements.
- Economic and administrative management.
These activities have been carried out in compliance with a Health & Safety Plan, in Global Quality and Environmental Quality Framework of respect and collusion with nature and with the natural habitat, for the sake of a sustainable development.
Having described the SAIH-Segura Infrastructure, briefly but exhaustively, without going into too much detail in each of the four sections mentioned, next there is an outline of the System operation, that is to say the SAIH-Segura-Contents. However, and for complementary purposes, we include a brief description of the rest of the activities.
The System Maintenance and Conservation is organized on the basis of two types of ordinary activities: those programmed or programmable and those not programmed. Amongst the former, there is preventive maintenance, at least two a year for each control point, concentration and repeater, and for three categories of subsystem components: A) Civil work. B) Instrumentation, power supply and protection. C) Communications and computers. In this way, at least three site visits a year are made, apart from additional controls and visual inspections. Besides the maintenance and cleaning works recommended by the manufacturers, in the programming of this programmable activity, the useful lives of the equipment and components object of maintenance are taken into account, as well as the experience accumulated, replacements being included. The activity that has not been programmed, or corrective, is generally carried out when a breakdown occurs or in emergency situations. For their execution, monitoring, evaluation and statistics, computer applications have been developed that mean it is possible to store the important data of the activity in a database and to publish reports and statistics with the purpose of being able to analyze, improve and optimize the whole activity.
As for the technological and functional improvements, let’s take, as an example and synthesis, some of those carried out over the last years regarding the incorporation of new variables in already existing control points, such as three measures for the management in the Orihuela syphon, the Tagus-Segura Aqueduct, new control points in the main bed such as the gauging station downriver from the Camarillas reservoir spillway, electric and anti-vandalic protection of installations, security cameras and video control of variables at critical points of control and floods, including ones with night vision, protection systems against electric shocks...
The economic-administrative management, in accordance with current legislation, forms part of biannual Maintenance and Operating contracts, which can be extended a further two years for terms of one year. The annual cost is around 2 million euros.
We shall divide the activity called System Operation into three parts:
