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10. Reservoir Routing
Flood routing refers to the process of calculating the passage of a flood
hydrograph through a system. It is a procedure to determine the time and
magnitude of flow at a point on a downstream water course from known or
assumed hydrograph at one or more points upstream. If the system is reservoir
through which the flood is routed the term storage routing or reservoir routing is
used.
Reservoir routing method is used:
i. For flood forecasting in the lower parts of a river basin after passing
through reservoir, the case of Awash river downstream of Koka dam,
ii. For sizing spillways and determining dam / cofferdam height
iii. For conducting river basin watershed studies for watersheds where one or
more storage facilities exist. Specifically, for watersheds in which existing
reservoir are located, a reservoir routing is necessary to evaluate
watershed plans such as location of water supply structures, and regional
flood control measures.
Note that in order to develop an operational flood routing procedures for a major
river system, detailed knowledge of the main stream and the various feeder
channels is necessary.
In comparison to other hydrological problems, storage routing is relatively
complex. There are a number of variables involved, including (1) the input
(upstream) hydrograph; (2) the output (downstream) hydrograph; (3) the stage-
storage volume relationship measured from the site; (4) the energy loss (weir and
orifice) coefficients; (5) physical characteristics (e.g., weir length, diameter of the
riser pipe, length of the discharge pipe, etc.) of the outlet facility; (6) the storage
volume versus time relationship; (7) the depth-discharge relationship; and (8) the
target peak discharge allowed from the reservoir. The problem is further
complicated in that the inflow and outflow hydrographs can be from either storms
that have occurred (i.e., actually measured events) or design storm values.
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10.1. Level pool or reservoir routing using storage indication or
modified pulse method
Level pool routing is the procedure for calculating the outflow hydrograph from a
reservoir with a horizontal water surface, given its inflow hydrograph and storage
outflow characteristics.
For a hydrological system, input I(t), output Q(t), and storage S(t) are related by
the continuity equation
dS
= I(t) - Q(t) (10.1)
dt
The time horizon is broken into intervals of duration t , indexed by j, that is t = 0,
t , 2 t , ..., j t , (j+1) t , ..., and the continuity equation is integrated over each
time interval. For the j-th time interval:
S j +1 (j+1) t (j+1) t
dS =
jt
I(t)dt -
jt
Q(t)dt (10.2)
Sj
The inflow values at the beginning and end of the j-th time interval are I j and I j+1 ,
and the corresponding values of the outflow are Q j and Q j+1 . If the variation of
the inflow and outflow over the interval is approximately linear (for t small), the
change in storage over the interval S j+1 - S j can be found by rewriting the above
I j + I j+1 Q j + Q j+1
S j+1 - S j = t - t (10.3)
2 2
equation as
In order to solve the above equation let us separate group first the known (the
right quantity from the equality) and the unknown (the left one) variables in the
following equation:
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2 S j+1 2Sj
+ Q j+1 = ( I j + I j+1 ) + ( -Qj ) (10.4)
t t
The procedure then is first established storage-outflow relationship: 2S/ t +Q and
Q based on the existing storage-water elevation and outflow-water elevation data,
physical characteristics of the reservoir.
The value of t is taken as the time interval of the inflow hydrograph. For a given
value of water surface elevation, the value of storage S and discharge Q are
determined, then the value of 2S/ t +Q is calculated and plotted.
In routing the inflow through time interval j, all terms on the right side of Eq.
(10.4) are known, and so the values of 2S j+1 /t + Q j+1 can be computed. The
corresponding value of Q j+1 can be determined by linear interpolation of tabular
values.
To set up the data required for the next time interval, the value of 2S j+1 / t - Q j+1
is calculated by
2 S j+1 2 S j+1
( - Q j+1 ) = ( + Q j+1 ) - 2 Q j+1 (10.5)
t t
The computation is then repeated for subsequent routing periods.
Depth (stage) storage relationships for a given contour lines can be computed as follows.
The area within contour lines of the site can be planimetered, with the storage in any
depth increment Δh equal to the product of the average area and the depth increment.
Thus the storage increment ΔS is given by:
S 0.5 * ( Ai Ai 1 )h (10.6)
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Figure 10.1 Development of the storage-outflow function for level pool routing on the
basis of storage-elevation and elevation-outflow curves.
800.0
700.0
600.0
500.0
Q( m /s)
3
400.0
300.0
200.0
100.0
0.0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5
H (m)
6000.0
S(m )
3
5000.0
4000.0
3000.0
2000.0
1000.0
0.0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5
H (m )
800.0
700.0
600.0
500.0
Q( m3/s)
400.0
300.0
200.0
100.0
0.0
0.0 500.0 1000.0 1500.0 2000.0 2500.0
2S/dt+Q (m 3/s)
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Example 10.1 . The design of an emergency spillway calls for a broad-crested weir of
width L = 10.0 m; rating coefficient C d = 1.7; and exponent n = 1.5. The spillway crest is
at elevation 1070. Above this level, the reservoir walls can be considered to be vertical,
with a surface area pf 100 ha. The dam crest is at elevation 1076 m. Base flow is 17 m3/s,
and initially the reservoir level is at elevation 1071 m. Route the design hydrograph given
in Table E10.2 through the reservoir. What is the maximum pool elevation reached?
Solution. The calculation of the storage indication function above the spillway crest
elevation are shown in Table E10.1a. Outflow is calculated based on the Q = C d L H n =
1.7 *10* H 1.5.
The routing is summarized in Table E10.1b. The inflow hydrograph is given in Column 2
and 3. Columns 5 and 6 give calculated vale of 2S j / t - Q j and 2S j+1 / t + Q j+1. The
initial outflow is 17 m3/s; the initial storage indication value (when the reservoir water
level is 1 m above the spillway crest)
2 S j+1 2Sj
+ Q j+1 = ( I j + I j+1 ) + ( -Qj )
t t
2 S1 2S
for j = 0 + Q1 = ( I 0 + I 1 ) + ( 0 - Q0 )
t t
is = ( 17 +17 ) + 2*100000/3600 - 17 = 572.56 m3/s, with corresponding outflow of Q 1 =
2 S1 2S
17 m3/s. For the next iteration for j = 1, we calculate ( - Q1 ) = ( 1 + Q1 ) - 2 Q1
t t
value based on the last estimated value, that is 2S 1 / t - Q 1 = 572.56 - 2*17 = 538.56
m3/s. Then
2 S j+1 2Sj
+ Q j+1 = ( I j + I j+1 ) + ( -Qj )
t t
2 S2 2S
for j = 1 is + Q 2 = ( I 1 + I 2 ) + ( 1 - Q1 )
t t
= (17+20) + (538.56) = 575.56 m3/s.
The corresponding Q 2 is then obtained from Table E10.1a as 17.4 m3/s. The recursive
procedure continues until iteration continues until the outflow has substantially reached
the base flow condition. The maximum pool elevation (MPE) occurs at maximum spill of
72.5 m3/s. It can be calculated from the ogee spillway equation and H = 2.63 m depth,
and the MPE is 1070.0 + 2.63 = 1072.63 m.
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Table E10.1a Storage discharge relationship.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Head above Q 2Sj+1/dt
spillway (outflow) S Storage +Qj+1
Elevation crest m3/s (m3) (m3/s)
(m) (1070 m)
1070.0 0.0 0.0 0 0
1071.0 1.0 17.0 1000000 573
1072.0 2.0 48.1 2000000 1159
1073.0 3.0 88.3 3000000 1755
1074.0 4.0 136.0 4000000 2358
1075.0 5.0 190.1 5000000 2968
1076.0 6.0 249.8 6000000 3583
1077.0 7.0 314.8 7000000 4204
1078.0 8.0 384.7 8000000 4829
160
Inflow design Hydrograph
140
Outflow hydrograph over the spillway
120
100
Q (m3/s)
80
60
40
20
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Tim e (hr)
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Table E10.1b: Design hydrograph and reservoir routing calculation
Design Inflow
Time Index Time hydrograph Ij +I j+1 2Sj/dt - Qj 2Sj+1/dt +Qj+1 Qj+1
j (hr) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s)
1 0 17 34 538.6 572.6 17.0
2 1 20 37 538.6 575.6 17.4
3 2 50 70 540.7 610.7 19.0
4 3 100 150 572.7 722.7 24.3
5 4 130 230 674.1 904.1 33.7
6 5 150 280 836.7 1116.7 45.9
7 6 140 290 1024.8 1314.8 58.3
8 7 110 250 1198.2 1448.2 67.2
9 8 90 200 1313.9 1513.9 71.7
10 9 70 160 1370.5 1530.5 72.8
11 10 50 120 1384.9 1504.9 71.0
12 11 30 80 1362.8 1442.8 66.8
13 12 20 50 1309.2 1359.2 61.2
14 13 17 37 1236.8 1273.8 55.7
15 14 17 34 1162.4 1196.4 50.8
16 15 17 34 1094.8 1128.8 46.7
17 16 17 34 1035.5 1069.5 43.1
18 17 17 34 983.3 1017.3 40.1
19 18 17 34 937.2 971.2 37.4
20 19 17 34 896.3 930.3 35.2
21 20 17 34 860.0 894.0 33.2
22 21 17 34 827.6 861.6 31.4
23 22 17 34 798.8 832.8 29.9
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10.1.2 Reservoir routing with controlled outflow
Most large reservoirs have some type of outflow control, wherein the amount of
outflow is regulated by gated spillways. In this case, both hydraulic conditions
and operational rules determine the prescribed outflow. Operational rules take
into accounts the various use of water.
The differential equation of storage can be used to route flows through reservoirs with
controlled outflow. In general, the outflow can be either (1) uncontrolled, (2) controlled
(gated), or (3) a combination of controlled and uncontrolled. The discretized equation,
including controlled outflow, is
S j+1 - S I j + I j+1 Q j + Q j+1
j
= - Qr (10.6)
t 2 2
in which Q r is the mean regulated outflow during the time interval t. With Q r
known, the solution proceeds in the same way as with the uncontrolled out flow
case.
In the case where the entire outflow is controlled, Eq. (10.6) reduces to
I j + I j+1
S j+1 = S j t - tQr (10.7)
2
By which the storage volume can be updated based on average inflows and mean
regulated outflow.
Example 10.2 Discharge from a reservoir is over a spillway with discharge
characteristic:
1.5
Q = 120 H
Where: Q in m3/s and H is the head over the spillway (m).
The reservoir surface area is 12.5 km2 at spillway crest level and increases linearly by 2
km2 per meter rise of water level above crest level.
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The design storm inflow, assumed to start with the reservoir just full, is given by a
triangular hydrograph, base length 40 hr and a peak flow of 450 m3/s occurring after 18
hours after the start of flow. Estimate the peak outflow over the spillway and its time of
occurrence to start of inflow (adapted from Shaw, 1994).
Solution. A level water surface in the reservoir is assumed. Temporary storage above the
crest level is given by:
H H
S = Adh (12.5 2.0h)dh 10 * (12.5 H H )(m )
6 2 3
0 0
Outflow over the crest are given by Q = 120H1.5
Taking the time interval of the inflow hydrograph 2 hr = 7200 s, we have
2 S j+1 2Sj
+ Q j+1 = ( I j + I j+1 ) + ( -Qj )
t t
2 S j+1 2 1.5
+ Q j+1 = 2 *10 6 * (12.5 H j 1 H j 1 ) / 7200 120 H j 1
t
2 S j+1 2 1.5
+ Q j+1 = 34722 H j 1 277.7 H 1 j 1 120 H j 1
t
and
2 S j+1 2 1.5
Q j+1 = 34722 H j 1 277.7 H j 1 120 H j 1
t
Now we need to derive the values of the above two functions.
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10.2 Practice problems
10.1. Design the emergency spillway width (rectangular cross section) for the following
dam, reservoir, and flood conditions: dam crest elevation = 483 m; emergency spillway
crest elevation = 475 m, coefficient of spillway rating = 1.7; exponent of spillway rating
= 1.5. Elevation-storage relation:
Elevation (m) 475 477 479 481 483
Storage (hm3) 5.1 5.3 5.6 6.4 7.6
Inflow hydrograph to reservoir:
Time (hr) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Inflow 0 10 30 50 60 150 250 350 280 210 190 170 130 100
(m3/s)
Time (hr) 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Inflow 90 75 50 40 30 15 10 5 2 1 0
(m3/s)
Assume design freeboard = 3 m and initial reservoir pool level at spillway crest.
10.2 Solve Example 10.1 if the inflow hydrograph is changed to:
Time 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150
(min)
Inflow 0. 2.7 4.4 6.9 8.7 9.4 15.1 19.6 20.9 10.7 8.6 5.5 4.4 2.1 1.5 0.
(m3/s) 0