Impacts of Ignored Evaporation and Sedimentation Fluxes at Planning on Reservoir Performance in Operation

Inevitable evaporation and sedimentation will influence reservoir operational performance if the two fluxes have been ignored when sizing reservoir systems. While this is to be expected, very few studies have quantified this influence. This study has analysed the effects of evaporation and sedimentation on reservoirs operational performance. It used seven reservoirs in Yesilirmak Basin, Turkey as case studies. The Dams serve a variety of purposes including irrigation, domestic and industrial, hydropower generation and flood control. Performance with regard to meeting these needs was characterized using reliability (time-based and volume-based), resilience, vulnerability and sustainability. The results showed that while ignoring both the evaporation and sedimentation during planning does affect subsequent operational performance, the influence of evaporation was more significant. Possible reasons are provided for the outcome and ways by which both can be accommodated during planning analyses thus mitigating the operational effects are suggested.