Analyzing the Effects of Stochastic Hydrology in the Operations of the Colorado River System
Publication: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2007: Restoring Our Natural Habitat
Abstract
The Colorado River is one of the most important rivers in United States. The water supply provided by the Colorado is critical for a wide range of water users in seven western states. Over 25 million people in the western states depend upon the Colorado River. However, the Colorado water resources are under great stress due to the increasing population growth, climate variability, and climate change. Understanding the variability of the river flows and its effects is important to water planners and managers of the system. The historical streamflow records of the Colorado are useful because they document the flow variability that has occurred in the past. But, the historical record is only one snapshot of an infinite number of streamflow sequences that could occur in the future. The full picture is not revealed in the single sequence. In fact, it is very unlikely that an identical sequence will ever occur again in the future. This study evaluates two alternative approaches which improve the understanding of the behavior of the Colorado River system beyond that provided by the historical record. Recently, the inability of the Colorado River's historical record to capture the system's variability has become apparent. The four-year period from 2000 to 2003 is the driest of the 98-year historical record. Prior to 2003, this drought was not included in long term planning analyses because it had not yet occurred. This drought reemphasized that the historical record is not robust enough to simulate the possible range of future conditions.
Get full access to this chapter
View all available purchase options and get full access to this chapter.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2007 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Apr 26, 2012
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.