Computer Simulation of Flood Operation in Multireservoir Systems

In this article, a summary of experience with the development of methods for controlling multiple-reservoir systems during flood periods, gained through computer simulation, is presented. Several decision mechanisms based on online forecasting and optimization are taken into consideration. Particular attention is focused on a two-level control structure with periodic coordination. The advantages of applying parallel global algorithms to determine the optimal decisions regarding outflows from the reservoirs are presented. Advantages of developing sophisticated control structures, as well as decision mechanisms with respect to the available quality of inflow forecasting and delays involved by data transmission and computation time, are considered. Finally, the results of simulations of online management in the case study of two reservoir systems located in the southern part of Poland are described and discussed.