Metrics of river/reservoir system water availability and supply reliability

2014 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. This chapter outlines capabilities for assessing river/reservoir system water availability and supply reliability, focusing on methods incorporated in the Water Rights Analysis Package (WRAP) modeling system, which is generalized for application anywhere in the world. The generalized modeling system contributes greatly to water management in Texas in the United States and continues to be expanded to address additional water management issues. The Texas Water Availability Modeling (WAM) system consists of WRAP and WRAP input datasets for all of the river basins of the state. The WAM system supports a regional and statewide planning process, administration of water allocation systems, and other water resources management functions. Activities of numerous water management entities operating 3,400 reservoirs and other facilities in accordance with a USA-Mexico treaty, five interstate compacts, two water right permit systems with over 6,000 active permits, and other institutional arrangements are simulated. A comprehensive array of water supply reliability, hydroelectric energy reliability, reservoir storage frequency, and stream flow frequency metrics have been incorporated in WRAP and applied in the Texas WAM System. The reliability and frequency analysis methods adopted in WRAP are applicable to other modeling systems as well as other regions of the world.

Metrics of river/reservoir system water availability and supply reliability Chapter