New Hampshire DES – Real–time Flood Forecasting and Reservoir Operations Model

Riverside Technology, inc. (RTi) worked with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) to develop a real–time flood forecasting and reservoir operations model for several watersheds, including Winnipesaukee, Piscataquog, Powwow, Mascoma, Salmon Falls, Suncook, Pemigewasset, Baker, and Newfound Rivers. Within these basins are a number of dams and lakes, many of which include hydropower generation facilities. Because many areas adjacent to the lakes and rivers are developed and used extensively for recreation, dam operations are constrained to a narrow elevation range, limiting flexibility for flood operations. The flood forecasting and reservoir operations model allows the NHDES to respond more effectively to unusual hydrologic events through reservoir management, and by conveying information on current hydrologic and reservoir operating conditions, including any potential warnings to the public.

Winnipesaukee River Basin Main RiverTrak® Forecaster Interface

The complete system includes RTi’s RiverTrak® system for data collection, data management, and hydrologic forecasting, as well as a reservoir operations model, a web–based information display system, and an interactive data review and editing facility. The data collection and management system integrates observed hydrologic data from various manual and automatic data collection sources, as well as radar based rainfall estimates provided by the National Weather Service (NWS). The hydrologic forecast model produces hydrographs that are input to a short–term reservoir operations/optimization model, and used by NHDES to interpret current and future hydrologic conditions. The reservoir operations model provides reservoir release recommendations based on hydrologic forecasts, operating constraints, and system operating objectives. While each element of the system has display capabilities for use and management of the system, a web–based information display system communicates information about current conditions and projected operations to the public.

2290 East Prospect Road, Suite 1, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525  (970) 484–7573  (970) 484–7593 Fax www.riverside.com   info@riverside.com