A barrage is designed to operate under certain assumed hydraulic conditions. Occasionally, however, unexpected conditions may arise which may be severe enough to threaten the stability of the structure. This paper studies one such condition i.e oblique approaching flow of the water on the upstream pond due to shoal formation which is likely to affect the scour downstream, thus causing concern to the stability of the downstream apron. The oblique approaching flow vectors strike the piers between the gates and are forced to take a turn towards the gates may generate vortices with vertical axes. These vortices generate an additional turbulence which appears to get conveyed downstream with the flow.