Registration is open for the next AIH Webinar! Register here.

AIH members = $0.00 (contact admin@aihydrology.org or (540) 500-1933 for the promotion code)
Lapsed/non-members = $35.00

WEBINAR SUMMARY:
Water allocation decisions for human and environmental needs depend on engineering structures, operational policies, and varying demands from multiple end-users. Assumptions about current and future scenarios help anticipate decisions to balance these objectives under different stressors, such as climate change. In this webinar, some study cases from California’s Central Sierra Nevada will be shown, to bring insights into balancing human and environmental needs, reservoir operations, hydropower generation, and water management.

In these studies, a water-power modeling framework was used, which includes detailed, facility-specific information for a comprehensive and fine temporal resolution (daily time-step) of water allocation decisions, integrating hydroeconomic needs (e.g., hydropower operations) and rule-based simulations (e.g., instream flow requirements).

The study cases include (1) an examination of environmental flow (e-flows) based on water year types (WYTs), which identifies the lack of standardized WYT and e-flow requirements adoption, (2) climate change and climate whiplash projections reveal significant variability in reservoir services, affecting basins and water uses differently, (3) an analysis of barriers to effective e-flow implementation and recommendations to navigate competing demands. The resilience of water systems and hydropower against climate variability is evaluated, offering policy suggestions for system flexibility and recommendations for sustainable water management solutions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Identify the key components and processes involved in water allocation decisions for human and environmental needs, with a focus on regulatory frameworks.
2. Assess the impacts of climate change and extreme events on reservoir services and develop strategies to improve the resilience and flexibility.
3. Recognize the importance of monitoring and adaptive management at a site- or facility-specific level.

SPEAKER:

Gustavo Facincani Dourado
Water Resources Engineer
California Department of Water Resources

Click here to register for the webinar!
Participating in this webinar qualifies as a continuing education credit for professional hydrologists. 1 Contact hour = 1 PDH/PDC. Learn more about AIH’s continuing education guidance online here.

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