Environmental Management of Multipurpose Reservoirs Subject to Fluctuating Flood Pools

摘要

Mathematical models were developed and used to simulate the effect of fluctuating water levels in multipurpose reservoirs in Iowa. The models are designed as management and operational tools to evaluate trade-offs between the environmental impacts in the flood pool upstream of the dam and the economic benefits downstream of the dam. The Saylorville Reservoir located on the Des Moines River was used for the study because it periodically inundates an environmentally sensitive and scenic area in the Ledges State Park, one of the area's most popular recreational parks. A dynamic programming optimization model was developed to select the optimal operating policy for the reservoir. The 10 largest historical floods were input to determine the operating policy which best minimizes damages. Also used were a reservoir routing model and a vegetative succession model.