Truckee Basin Water Management Options Pilot, WMOP (2020-Ongoing)

As a part of the WaterSMART Basin Study Program, PWRE is working on the Truckee Basin Water Management Options Pilot Study to develop flexible reservoir flood control operational criteria without increasing downstream flood risk. The study will evaluate Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, flexible rule curves, and changes to downstream regulation goals. This study will then be documented in a Viability Assessment document and provided to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for a subsequent update to the Water Control Manual.

To evaluate methodologies to implement Forecast Informed Reservoir operations, the Team will use a Multiple Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) to optimize the parameterization of the computation of required flood space based on the California-Nevada River Forecast Center ensemble forecasts. The MOEA will help identify trade-off criteria for between various basin objectives including flood risk, water supply, and environmental concerns such as health of threatened and endangered species. Ultimately the MOEA will help inform a proposed revision to the Water Control Manual criteria that will be based on the latest available runoff forecasts, be adaptable to the changes in downstream regulation and flood improvement projects, and allow for more flexibility in operations for water supply during dry periods.

The Study is a cooperative cost-share agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation, Truckee Meadows Water Authority, Truckee River Operating Agreement Administrator/Federal Water Master, California Department of Water Resources, and the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. In coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, California Nevada River Forecast Center, Nevada Division of Water Resources, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Truckee River Flood Management Authority, and Washoe County Water Conservation District.