Many‐objective reservoir policy identification and refinement to reduce policy inertia and myopia in water management

• DOI: 10.1002/2013wr014700
• Publication Date: 2014-03-28T20:31:24Z
• Authors: M. Giuliani; J. D. Herman; A. Castelletti; P. Reed
• Keywords: Baseline (sea); Identification

Abstract This study contributes a decision analytic framework to overcome policy inertia and myopia in complex river basin management contexts. The combines reservoir identification, many‐objective optimization under uncertainty, visual analytics characterize current operations discover key trade‐offs between alternative policies for balancing competing demands system uncertainties. approach is demonstrated on the Conowingo Dam, located within Lower Susquehanna River, USA. River an interstate water body that has been subject intensive efforts due from urban supply, atomic power plant cooling, hydropower production, federally regulated environmental flows. We have identified baseline operating Dam closely reproduces dynamics of releases flows thus can be used represent preferences structure guiding operations. Starting this policy, our proposed then evolutionary with new better balance Susquehanna. Our results confirm which only considers deterministic historical inflows, significantly overestimates system's reliability meeting reservoir's demands. removes bias by successfully identifying are more robust hydroclimatic uncertainties while also addressing across Dam's multisector services.