Optimum contributions of hydropower reservoirs to the minimum flow of Vu Gia – Thu Bon river basin

Upstream hydropower development has a great impact on downstream flows. According to the Regulation of Multi-reservoir Operation in Vu Gia – Thu Bon River Basin (Regulation 15371), four large-scale upstream reservoirs must discharge certain flow during the dry season to increase water levels at downstream hydrological stations named Ai Nghia and Giao Thuy. These stations are used as the control points for the downstream water supply. An optimizing-simulation based model was developed that both maximizes total electricity production and ensures minimum flow downstream as required. A thousand combinations of the reservoir inflows were generated by Monte Carlo simulation, considering the correlation between tributaries. Then, the Scatter search algorithm available in the Optquest module of Crystal Ball was used to find the optimal release from the reservoirs. The results show that the current Regulation 1537 can be improved for more efficient water resources management.