Operation for

Downstream Objectives
By One Reservoir
Or
By a System of Reservoirs
Hydrologic Engineering Center

Outline
Some Terminology
Examples of downstream constraints &

objectives
Creating downstream rules
Rule priority, decision logic, and rule-

conflicts

Terminology - Downstream
Control
Downstream control:
operate to meet an objective at a
location downstream from the reservoir

Terminology - Operate
Operate:
make a decision about something we can
control (and act on that decision)
What

can we control?
When is the effect seen?
How Much can I release now so that the
objective is met when the released water
arrives at the downstream location?

Terminology Objective,
Control Point
(Downstream) Objectives:
Minimum

or Maximum flow or stage

rate-of-change in flow or stage
at the control point.

Control Point:
The downstream location for which the
reservoir is trying to operate - usually an
active gage location

Terminology - Parallel Operation

Two or more

reservoirs operate
together for an
objective at a common
downstream location
Releases made from

each reservoir are

allocated based on the
storage in each
reservoir
Established through

use of the same

Downstream Control
rule

Terminology Tandem Systems

Tandem Operation

occurs when an
upstream reservoir
operates to maintain a
storage balance with a
downstream reservoir
A Tandem Series of

two or more reservoirs

may be established by
having each upstream
reservoir operate for
the next reservoir
downstream (Tandem
rule)

Information needed
DS Objective(s)
Current + future

local inflows
Routing time and
attenuation impacts
Releases from other
reservoirs that affect
flow/stage at the
control point

Information needed
Foresight! Foresight! Foresight!
Foresight: What you know (or assume) about the
future will guide how you determine releases
to meet downstream objectives.
HEC-ResSim uses limited perfect foresight
(It knows the exact local flows for a future
period that affect the release decision. That
future period is based on the routing time
between the reservoir and the control point.)

Examples of
Downstream Constraints

4600 cfs is needed in the

Alabama River at Coosa to
maintain navigation.

Examples of
Downstream Constraints
The risk of failure of the
Birchbank levees is
acceptably low until
flows exceed 225,000 cfs
at which point the risk
increases greatly.
Therefore, both local and
system flood control
storage at Arrow Lakes
will be used to manage
flows in the Columbia
River at Birchbank to not
exceed 225,000 cfs.

Examples of
Downstream Constraints
Limit flows at Greenfield
to 12,000 cfs during the
(May-Dec) growing
season.
During normal
operations, flow at
Rockville should be
maintained at or above
2,500 cfs. Likewise, the
flow at Greenfield should
be maintained at or
above 3,500 cfs

More about
Downstream Control Rules
A grey square appears

around each control point

Network Module: if a
downstream control rule exists
(even if not used)
Simulation Module: if a
downstream control is used in the
current operation set of the
active alternative

A downstream control rule

defined at one reservoir can

be assigned to other
reservoirs upstream of the
control point
(Select Use Existing from
Rule Menu)

Back-routing calculation
Example 1
Limit flows at Greenfield to 12,000 cfs
t=4

Allowable range of
flows (cfs)

- 1500 cfs local

inflow at Greenfield

- 3,500 cfs local

inflow at Villanova

0 hrs

15,000300,000

8 hrs

t=4

- 1,000 cfs local

inflow at Rockville
0 hrs

10,000200,000
5,000100,000

4 hrs
00

Greenfield

8 hrs

4 hrs

Allowable range of
release (cfs)

t=16

t=0

15,000300,000
10,000200,000
5,000100,000
00

Crazy Mountain

Back-routing calculation
Example 2
flow at Rockville should be maintained at or
above 2,500 cfs
t=4

- 1,000 cfs local

inflow at Rockville
0 hrs

15,000300,000
10,000200,000
5,000100,000

4 hrs
00

Rockville

Allowable range of
release (cfs)

Allowable range of
flows (cfs)

t=0
300,000
15,000
200,000
10,000
100,000
5,000

00

Crazy Mountain

Rule Logic - revisited

Rules narrow the allowable range of release.

Release

Max
physical
capacity

Initially, Range
set by Physical
Limits

allowable
range

Rule 1:
Rel > 1,000

9000
allowable
range

Rule 3:
Flow > 12,500
downstream, needs
Rel > 10,000

9000

Rule 3 is violated
(constrained)
but gets as close
as possible

allowable
range

1000
0

Rule 2:
Rel < 9,000

1000

Rule Logic - revisited

What if the rules were re-ordered?
Initially, Range
set by Physical
Limits
Max
physical
capacity

Rule 1:
Flow > 12,500
downstream,
need Rel > 10,000

allowable
range

10000

10000
9000

allowable
range

Rule 3 is violated
(constrained)
but gets as close
as possible
1000

Rule 3:
Rel < 9,000

allowable
range
10000

Release

Rule 2:
Rel > 1,000

Another View of Rule Logic

When rule types are the same (max, max)
or (min, min)

Release (cfs)

15,000
300,000

Do ranges of allowable
releases overlap?

10,000
200,000
Yes

5,000
100,000

00

overlap
1

Priority

Compatible. Make release

that is within both ranges
(0 6,000 cfs)

No

Conflict. BUT, rules

MUST overlap if same
type

Another View of Rule Logic

When rule types are different (min, max) obey
both if overlap, if not, Rule 1 obeyed, lower
priority Rule 2 violated
15,000
300,000

Do ranges of allowable
releases overlap?

Release (cfs)

10,000
200,000
Yes

5,000
100,000

00

overlap

No

Conflict.
1

Priority

Compatible. Make release

that is within both ranges
(3,000 5,000 cfs)

Another View of Rule Logic

When rule types are different (min, max) obey
both if overlap, if not, Rule 1 obeyed, lower
priority Rule 2 violated
15,000
300,000

Do ranges of allowable
releases overlap?

Release (cfs)

10,000
200,000
Yes

Compatible.

5,000
100,000
No

00

Priority

Conflict. Make release for higher

priority rule that is closest to
range of allowable release for
lower priority rule (=1,500 cfs)

Conflicts
If operation rule priorities were switched

Release (cfs)

15,000
300,000

Do ranges of allowable
releases overlap?

10,000
200,000
Yes

Compatible.

5,000
100,000
No

00

Priority

Conflict. Make release for higher

priority rule that is closest to
range of allowable release for
lower priority rule (=3,000 cfs)

Take-home Points
Downstream operations work to meet an objective

at a location downstream from the reservoir

Limited Foresight is used to determine the
reservoir release to meet the downstream
objective
Implement as Downstream Control Function rule
in HEC-ResSim
Priority describes the precedence for constraining
the region of allowable releases

Reservoir Systems in ResSim

ResSim supports

two types of
reservoir system
operation
Parallel
Tandem
Both types rely

on a System
Storage Balance

DefiningParallel Operation
In one reservoir
Create a
Downstream
Control rule for
the common
downstream
location.

DefiningParallel Operation
In a parallel

reservoir

Apply the same

Downstream
Control rule
(Use Existing)

DefiningTandem Operation
Add a Tandem rule

to the upstream
reservoir of the
tandem system
NOTE: Tandem rules
are specified flow
rules (both Min and
Max); as such they
are usually positioned
as the lowest priority
rules so they dont
take over

System Storage Balance

System Storage is the sum of

allocated storages in the

system
Balance exists when each
reservoir level equals the
system level
Balance can be

Project

Conserve
Storage

Flood
Storage

Res. 1

20,000

10,000

Res. 2

10,000

20,000
%100

System

30,000

30,000
Sys

Implicit (default)
Explicit (user-defined)

Priority to release is assigned

to the reservoir that is

farthest from the desired
system storage level

F.C.
%0
%100

%100

F.C.
%0
%100

F.C.
Con
.

%0

Res. 1

Sys
Con
.

Con
.
Res. 2

%0

Syste
m

reservoir storage equally

toward its guide curve
The Implicit System Zones

Full
Res1 Storage

Implicit Balance treats each

are:

Above Guide Curve to top

most zone
Below Guide Curve to
inactive

G.C.

System Storage

Empty
Full

Res2 Storage

Full

Implicit Storage Balance

G.C.

Empty

By default, ResSim uses an

Sys

Implicit System Storage Balance

G.C.
Empty
System
Storage

Explicit System Storage Balance

Zone is defined by
associating it with the top
of a zone in each system
reservoir
The desired balance

between the reservoirs

per System Zone is
defined in terms of
percent of Zone Storage

Full

F.C.

Sys

Con
25%
F.C.

Full
F.C.
Con.

70%
Con

System Storage

Empty
Full

Res2 Storage

The top of each System

Res1 Storage

Balance is defined for

specified System Zones

Sys

Empt
y

Explicit System Storage

75%
F.C.

F.C.

Con.
33%
Con

Empty
System
Storage

Explicit System Storage Balance

Storage at Top of Dam

Storage at Top FC
Storage at Top of Con
Con Zone % Storage Balance

Con Zone Storages:

Estimated Con Storage

Con Zone %full
Index Level
Target Storage
Storage Adjustment

Example Explicit Storage Balance for the

Conservation Storage
Reservoir 1 Reservoir 2 Equiv. System
100,000
100,000
200,000
90,000
60,000
150,000
70,000
30,000
100,000

Store Index

100.0%
70.0%
0.0%

100.0%
33.0%
0.0%

100.0%
58.9%
0.0%

2.0
1.0
0.0

70,000
49,000
0

30,000
9,900
0

100,000
58,900
0

2.0
1.0
0.0

62,000
88.6%
1.62
54,672
-7,328

8,000
26.7%
0.81
15,328
7,328

70,000
70.0%
1.27 = Target Index
70,000

MoreTake-home Points
Parallel System Operations are defined by adding the

same Downstream Control Rule to all reservoirs

operating for a common downstream location
Tandem System Operations are defined by adding a
Tandem Rule to the upstream reservoir in a tandem
pair
A System Balance Definition should be specified to
manage how the system reservoirs balance storage
while operating to meet their common objective.