7021

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7021
• Author: Oamek, G., et al.
• Title: Methodology For Analyzing Alternative Reservoir Shortage and Operating Criteria.
• USFW Year: n.d.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: YES

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A METHODOLOGY FOR ANALYZING ALTERNATIVE RESERVOIR
SHORTAGE AND OPERATING CRITERIA
George Oamek', Larry Schluntz2,
Loren Bottorff, and Eldon Johns`
ABSTRACT
The Bureau of Reclamation's shifting emphasis from a construction oriented agency to a
water management agency has initiated the development of analytical tools for estimating the
benefits, and changes in benefits, of alternative reservoir sizes (for new projects) and
operating criteria (for existing prvjects). This paper presents a new methodological approach
for estimating the marginal, or change in, economic beneftss for a project and applies it to
several case studies.
The modeling system developed from this effort links a spreadsheet-based model of reservoir
operations to economic models of various demand sectors, including irrigation, municipal
and industrial uses (M&I), and instream flow. Linking the models resuks in quick response
in estimating the annual marginal economic benefits of alternative reservoir sizes and
operating criteria.
When applied to a case study of an existing Southern California reservoir, the modeling
system estimated the annual benefits of reservoir enlargment and changes in operating
criteria. Additional case studies for projects in Oregon, Kansas, and Colorado have
demonstrated the ability of the methodology to be adapted to a wide range of hydrologic
conditions and project purposes.
U47RODUCTION
Evaluating the economic trade-offs between competing uses of water is of critical
importance during times of drought. Under normal conditions, volume and timing of
Bureau of Reclamation project deliveries are contractually fixed. Specific contract
provisions provide for the operation of the facilities during drought conditions.
However, the Bureau of Reclamation is interested in the re-evaluation of the marginal,
or change in, economic benefits of alternative water allocations during drought
conditions and to re-evaluate reservoir operation strategies which, in turn, would
maximize the economic benefits of available supplies. This paper presents a
methodology for measuring the marginal benefits of alternative reservoir operation plans
which explicitly consider priority of use for various types of users and alternative
shortage criteria.
The methodology is a linked system consisting of two models, a reservoir operations
' Economist, CH2M Hill, 3840 Rosin Court, Suite 110, Sacramento, California, 95834
2 Economist, Bureau of Reclamation, D-5442, Box 25007, Denver, Colorado, 80225
s Water Resource Engineer, CH2M Hill
Hydrologist, Bureau of Reclamation