A Water Supply Model for Cascade Reservoirs

In recent years, the shortage of water resources has deeply affected people's production and life style. The reservoirs on the Colorado River Run in a cascade pattern. However, there are few researches on water supply of cascade reservoirs. The method of supplying water resources reasonably is a problem worthy of serious consideration. In this paper, we developed a water supply model for the dams on the Colorado river. The model takes into account the reservoir water storage, the relationship between power generation and water flow, the allocation of water resources between two dams, and the demand of hydropower in different regions. The simulation experiments were carried out to determine the optimal water supply ratio of the two dams, the maximum time for the supply of water and electricity, and the amount of the additional water required to maintain the normal supply of water-deficient dams.

I. Introduction

The Colorado River begins in Colorado and Wyoming's Rocky Mountains and winds its way through the Southwest, finally drains into the Gulf of California and Mexico. It stretches for around 2,300 kilometers and has vanished to the west of the Rocky Mountains. The Colorado River system runs largely into the Gulf of California, which is a key source of fresh water for California, while the rest flows south to Mexico without ever reaching the sea. The Gulf of California stretches northwest to southeast, with a small north and a broad south that resembles a trumpet. Between the northwest and Mexico's Baja California it is approximately 1200 kilometers long, 90–210 kilometers broad, and 160,000 square kilometers in size. It has more flora and wildlife than any other marine or island on the World Heritage List, with 695 species. Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which are fed by the Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam that are located in the middle sections of the Colorado River, are the largest man-made lakes in the United States.