Automation in California's State Water Project

The conventional method of operation of open conduits will not adequately meet some of the objectives of the plan of operation for California's State Water Project. A new concept of operation is suggested whereby project facilities, namely, the pumping plant units and check gates, are operated simultaneously when increases or decreases in aqueduct flow are required. Because of the large number of facilities their simultaneous operation requires division of the project into several operational control areas which will be managed by an operation control central in Sacramento. The use of a computer for operational control is proposed. The existing South Bay Aqueduct is being instrumented and soon will be used as a model to study the project control system.