A Method for Evaluating the Impacts of Reservoir Operation on FishCommunities

摘要

A developing understanding of instream flow needs now supports maintenanceof ecological flow regimes rather than a regulatory minimum flow. This shift isreflected in management of hydrologic alterations created by existing reservoirs andflow control structures. With an emphasis on regime-based approaches a newconnectivity is demanded between reservoir operations and the resulting downstreamflow conditions. Complicating this situation is reservoir management that may belegally limited to flood control and water supply requirements. This paper proposesan approach to reservoir operation that is based on an ecological flow regime.Reservoir operation is guided by six hydrologic indicators selected both to meet thespecific flow needs of the local fish community and to satisfy authorized reservoiroperational rules. The approach is based on use of an autecology matrix to meet flowneeds of the ecology and life history requirements of the fish community.Optimization using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithms provides a basis forselecting flow regimes that are expected to provide benefit to fish communitiesdownstream while also meeting authorized reservoir storage needs.