Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management

In 1976 and 1977, the city of Ames, Iowa had to ration water due to a locally severe drought. Some relief was obtained by artificially recharging the depleted aquifer by pumping water from a nearby sand and gravel quarry. Since the drought, city engineering and Iowa State University personnel have conducted studies to make the quarry a permanent part of the city's sources of water supply. These studies have included both water quantity and water quality studies. The results of these studies with emphasis given to the water quantity studies and results are explored. This account of how one city turned the solution of a water supply problem into an opportunity to incorporate water quality, flood control, and recreation considerations into a more complete overall solution can serve as a model for other cities to use as they strive to find solutions to their own unique water‐related problems.

Before taking up a comprehensive study of regional irrigation development, it is necessary to identify and understand the technological options, the physical process and the allocation of water resources to pertinent projects. Linear programming models have been used for such a reconnaissance study of the Indo‐Nepal region of the Ganga basin with boundary conditions by Bangladesh. The region is a very large system in terms of resources' potential, developmental options and associated constraints. The irrigation model study is carried out at the sub‐basins' level (Level I) and at the basin level (Level II). The issues analyzed at level I are: (1) Implications of scale of project developments, (2) implications of resource conservation measures such as reducing seepage and evaporation losses and improving irrigation efficiency, (3) implications of conjunctive surface water, natural recharge and artificial recharge use, and (4) implications of crop water demand. At level II the issue is the implication of water demand at Ferakke (by India and Bangladesh). The study identifies the operating constraints and relative impact of various issues and options on the irrigation development in physical terms.

Maintenance of minimum flows necessary for protection of instream water uses has been recognized as a significant water management issue in some of the eastern states. The riparian doctrine, a primary component of the water law of several eastern states, offers some protection to instream uses since it offers protection to riparian land values and requires a sharing of water among landowners along the length of each stream. In addition, legal provisions for recognition of instream uses in federal water management programs apply, and many of the eastern states have adopted applicable legislative measures such as direct controls over water use, programs for preservation of scenic rivers, and minimum release requirements for impoundments. However, such measures do not apply uniformly among the riparian states, and existing legal mechanisms may be inadequate in some cases. Therefore, additional institutional development will likely be necessary to assure continuance of a socially desirable balance between instream and offstream water uses as water demand increases over time.

Extended forecasting using the National Weather Service River Forecast System (NWSRFS) is done with the NWS Extended Streamflow Prediction (ESP) program. This paper examines the theory, capabilities, and potential applications of the ESP procedure. ESP uses conceptual hydrologic/hydraulic models to forecast future streamflow using. the current snow, soil moisture, river, and reservoir conditions with historical meteorological data. The ESP procedure assumes that meteorological events that occurred in the past are representative of events that may occur in the future. Each year of historical meteorological data is assumed to be a possible representation of the future and is used to simulate a streamflow trace. The simulated streamflow traces can be scanned for maximum flow, minimum flow, volume of flow, reservoir stage, etc., for any period in the future. ESP produces a probabilistic forecast for each streamflow variable and period of interest. The procedure was originally developed for water supply forecasting in snowmelt areas, but it can also be used to produce spring flood outlooks, forecasts for navigation, inflow hydrographs for reservoir operation, and time series needed for risk analysis during droughts.

The appropriation system of water rights has been criticized for failure to provide adequate protection of instream flow values. The appropriation system is measured against 13 fundamental principles of good state water law. Within the context of this comparison, the implications with respect to accommodating instream flow uses are examined. It is concluded that the appropriation system can equitably incorporate instream flow uses, but is constrained by lack of “litigation proof” methodologies and technologies to project impacts and tradeoffs. The integration of instream flow rights is also retarded by lack of proper recognition of certain hydrologic imperatives that must be observed in order to correctly define the instream flow right. Instream flow rights must not upset the integrity of other rights within the common system.

The potential impact of 20% reduction in water usage through water conservation is investigated for a small investor owned utility serving the rural residential community of Stewartstown Borough, Pennsylvania. The analysis of short‐term impact shows that the average bill would be reduced by 16% if rates had not been changed; however, the company's operating expenses would only have been reduced by 2%. The long‐range impact is investigated using present worth analysis, A 20% reduction in water use would have saved $71,280 in present worth (1976) for storage and source facilities and operating costs. The savings in capital and O&M costs would eventually translate into savings in water bills of the customers over the years.

The San Marco Pipeline Company has proposed a 1,000‐mile (1,610‐km) pipeline system to move coal slurry from southeastern Colorado to several electrical generating plants in the Texas Gulf Coast area. This area of Colorado is experiencing severe water shortage problems due to the large amount of water used for irrigation. Colorado statutes restrict the diversion of both surface and ground water for out‐of‐state use unless such water is credited to interstate compacts. Water has been found by the courts to be a commodity or article of commerce, therefore subject to federal constitutional scrutiny under the commerce clause. The constitutionality of Colorado's statutes depends upon the nature of the restrictions imposed, the severity of the burden created, and the local purposes served by the statutes. Statutes will be upheld only where they incidentally burden or discriminate against interstate commerce. States may impose severe restrictions on diverting water for out‐of‐state uses provided the same type of restrictions are imposed on in‐state use.

The goals and objectives of operation of the California State Water Project (SWP) changed significantly on March 31, 1983, when long‐term, lowcost contractual agreements for energy purchase for the Project terminated. Now energy required for pumping must be purchased at a substantially increased cost. However, energy generated in the Project can be sold with maximum revenues at times of peak electrical demand. To determine the most efficient operation schedules for the SWP, a coordinated set of models was developed for execution in “real‐time.” This set of models includes network flow programming models, a number of other simulation models, and a large‐scale linear programming (LP) model designed to determine optimal flows throughout the California aqueduct system, given the energy demands for pumping, energy generation capabilities and water demands. This LP model may be executed with a weekly or daily time step. Solution of the LP problem is accomplished with the nonproprietary XMP package, using the dual‐simplex capability to accelerate solution.

A capacity expansion model has been developed to facilitate the planning and the optimal timing and sizing of the proposed Juquia River system in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The proposed system consists of the construction of a series of reservoirs and pumping stations in the Juquia River basin to develop firm water supplies to meet the projected future water demands for the city of Sao Paulo. A monthly simulation model that utilizes rational operation rules and simulates the optimal operation mode is imbedded in the capacity expansion model so that the optimized results are consistent and hydrologically feasible. Forty‐two years of historical streamflows are used in the simulation model. Future water demands up to a time horizon are specified, and a forward dynamic programming algorithm is used to minimize the present worth of total project costs.