Stochastic Programming for Improved Multiuse Reservoir Operation in Burkina Faso, West Africa
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 141, Issue 3
Abstract
A network of reservoirs and diversion structures in the Comoé River Basin in southwestern Burkina Faso, West Africa, provides municipal water supply and irrigation for sugarcane agribusiness and downstream farmers. The region is characterized by severe intraseasonal and inter-annual variability of precipitation and reservoir inflows. Reservoir operations are generally conservative, even during relatively wet years. A stochastic decision support tool (DST) is described which translates a scenario-tree of streamflow and precipitation forecasts, conditionally weighted by a tercile seasonal precipitation forecast, into optimal release schedules for the upcoming year. It is shown that the DST coupled with the seasonal precipitation forecasts may provide more efficient and equitable release decisions that benefit the variety of stakeholders in the basin.
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Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate the support of Richard Vogel, Steven Block, and Jesus Sanchez in model development. Funding was primarily provided by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Sectoral Applications Research Program (NOAA Grant Number NA06OAR4310074) as a continuation of the Climate Forecasting and Agricultural Resources (CFAR) Project. Additional support to the first author was from the John R. Freeman Fund of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, and the Tufts Institute for the Environment. The authors appreciate the review and editorial comments of the reviewers, the Editor, and the Associate Editor.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 141 • Issue 3 • March 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 13, 2012
Accepted: Jul 26, 2013
Published online: Jul 27, 2013
Published ahead of production: Jul 29, 2013
Discussion open until: Dec 11, 2014
Published in print: Mar 1, 2015
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