Implementation and Comparison of Reservoir Operation Strategies for the Hoa Binh Reservoir, Vietnam using the Mike 11 Model

Hoa Binh is the largest reservoir in Vietnam. It has been operated since 1990 with the main purposes of flood control in the Red River basin and hydropower generation. Because these different purposes always cause conflicts and disputes during the flood season, it is desirable to improve the current operational regulations of the reservoir. In this paper, the operation rules of the reservoir are analysed by applying the Mike 11 river modelling tool. The model set up includes the main rivers and tributaries of the Red River basin and a logical decision tree defining the reservoir regulation. These strategies define the reservoir release as function of the time of the year, the actual reservoir stage, and the water level forecast at Hanoi. A data set consisting of twenty years of flood season data was used to evaluate the control strategies with respect to flood control and hydropower generation. The reservoir operation using the complete control system and the current as well as alternative regulation strategies has been evaluated and compared to the actual operation practice. Results showed that the implemented control system performs better than the actual operation. In addition, lowering the target downstream water level for flood control improves the operation with respect to both flood protection and hydropower generation. An alternative strategy where the target water level in the reservoir is increased can improve hydropower generation but at the expense of a reduced flood protection. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2008