Improving reservoir operations modeling for integration in a regional Earth system model
Abstract
In integrated Earth system models (EaSMs), accurate hydrologic information in all of its components including socio-economy, atmosphere, land, and energy infrastructure is needed to represent the interactions between human and Earth system processes. The hydrology processes regulate the water, energy and carbon fluxes in this integrated framework. Human influence on the hydrologic cycle includes regulation and storage, consumptive use and overall redistribution of water resources in space and time. Representing these processes is essential for applications of EaSMs in hydrologic and climate predictions, as well as impact studies such as integrated assessment activities at regional to global scales. Dynamic programming approaches to optimize operations of reservoir systems have been widely used for water resources management planning at local and regional scales and recently have emerged in global-scale applications; albeit they are performed offline from the EaSMs , and require accurate knowledge of future flow for the upcoming water year. Other emerging large-scale research reservoir models use generic operating rules that are more flexible for coupling with EaSMs. Those generic operating rules have been successful in reproducing overall regulated flow at large basin scales. Improved generic operating rules are presented and evaluated across multiple spatial scales and objectives (flow but also storage and supply) over the complex multi-objective Columbia River Regulation System, which is representative of large river systems with increasing competitive reservoir purposes in the future. Challenges due to the difference in time and spatial scales between the physical processes versus reservoir operations and targets (irrigation, flood control, hydropower, environmental flow, navigation) are then discussed in the context of improving hydrology and evapotranspiration fluxes within an integrated EaSM.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.H42B..08V
- Keywords:
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- 1622 GLOBAL CHANGE / Earth system modeling;
- 1833 HYDROLOGY / Hydroclimatology;
- 1880 HYDROLOGY / Water management