Modeling of reservoir operation with sedimentation control

Abstract

Operational planning management of reservoir systems becomes increasingly important when the water inflow from streams and watershed delivers a potentially high sediment rate. The amount of incoming sediment associated with stream flow or surface runoff entering the reservoir is crucial with respect to the reduction of storage capacity. Therefore, an appropriate model for enhancing reservoir system operation is an essential part of a decision support system model in relation to extending life expectancy of the reservoir. Reservoir operation modeling is a challenging problem as compared to a longer range of management operational planning. The modeling of reservoir operation has been studied widely using optimization models. However, studies focusing on sustainable reservoir operational planning due to sedimentation control have not been developed. The purpose of the proposed research is to develop a method of reservoir sediment-control operation by minimizing sediment deposition in the reservoir and maximizing other beneficial uses, especially for hydropower. When the dead storage has been completely filled with the sediment load then the reservoir is inundated forever. The model may provide a better management approach especially in maintaining the sustainability of a reservoir due to an unpredicted and underestimated sedimentation problem. In this study, the developed model will be implemented for a multipurpose single reservoir. The reservoir-sediment control model will be formulated and solved using Iterative Non-Linear Programming based on a multi-objective measure to perform the optimal release decision for the sediment control strategy and hydropower. The benefits of the proposed methodology in this research include its applicability, flexibility, and simplicity for practical applications. This model may correspondingly lead to improvements in future reservoir design and construction for sediment control management and sustainability while meeting downstream demands.