Jaekyoung Noh

Evaluating Future Stream Flow by Operation of Agricultural Reservoir Group considering the RCP 8.5 Climate Change Scenario

This study aims to evaluate future stream flow by the operation of agricultural reservoir group at the upper stream of the Miho River. Four agricultural reservoirs with storage capacities greater than one million cubic meters within the watershed were selected, and the RCP 8.5 climate change scenario was applied to simulate reservoir water storage and stream flow assuming that there are no changes in greenhouse gas reduction. Reservoir operation scenarios were classified into four types depending on the supply of instream flow, and the water supply reliability of each reservoir in terms of water supply under different reservoir operation scenarios was analyzed. In addition, flow duration at the watershed outlet was evaluated. The results showed that the overall run-off ratio of the upper stream watershed of the Miho River will decrease in the future. The future water supply reliability of the reservoirs decreased even when they did not supply instream flow during their operation. It would also be difficult to supply instream flow during non-irrigation periods or throughout the year (January-December); however, operating the reservoir based on the operating rule curve should improve the water supply reliability. In particular, when instream flow was not supplied, high flow increased, and when it was supplied, abundant flow, ordinary flow, and low flow increased. Drought flow increased when instream flow was supplied throughout the year. Therefore, the operation of the agricultural reservoirs in accordance with the operating rule curve is expected to increase stream flow by controlling the water supply to cope with climate change.