Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1997

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Environmental Engineering

Major Professor

James L. Smoot

Committee Members

Bruce Tschantz, William Miller

Abstract

This study was initiated to determine if the summer lake levels at Boone Reservoir could be extended into the fall season, for recreational purposes, without adversely impacting flood control and hydroelectric generation. An evaluation was also performed to determine which operational technique is most efficient to operate the reservoir system--a fixed rule operation or operation by a knowledgeable hydrologic staff.

For this study a reservoir routing technique was utilized for determining the impacts of modification to the current operating guide curve. A modified fixed rule operating guide curve was designed to simulate actual reservoir operations. This guide curve was incorporated into the reservoir routing technique.

Two historic fall storms were selected and two design storms (100- and 500-year floods) were developed to determine the downstream flooding effects. Historic fall storms and hydrologic data were gathered from the Tennessee Valley Authority's records archives. The design storms were developed utilizing a flood hydrology program with the associated rainfall amounts as input.

The analysis of the historic fall storms indicated that in both cases the reservoir system in its present configuration could safely pass the events without increasing the potential for downstream flooding. However, the analysis of the design storms indicated that both events increased the potential for downstream flooding. The results of the 100-year flood indicated that 13 of 36 routings failed to produce non-flooding discharges. The results of the 500-year flood indicated that only 1 of 36 routings produced non-flooding discharges, thus greatly increasing the potential for downstream flooding.

The proposed changes to the current operating guide curve would result in lost hydroelectric generation revenues, due to withholding water. The evaluation to determine which operational technique is most efficient to operate the reservoir system indicated that a knowledgeable hydrologic staff produces more accurate routings than a fixed rule operating guide curve.

Based on this analysis it is not recommended that changes be made to the current Boone Reservoir operating guide curve. Implementation of any revisions to the current operating guide curve would be placing recreation ahead of flood control in operating priorities during the fall.

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