Application of an Optimization/Simulation Model for Real-Time Flood-Control Operation of River-Reservoirs Systems

Application of an optimization/simulation model for the simulated real-time flood control for river-reservoir systems to the catastrophic May 2010 flood on the Cumberland River at Nashville, Tennessee is described. The optimization/simulation model includes five major components, including a hydrologic rainfall-runoff model, a hydraulic unsteady flow model, a short-term rainfall forecasting model, a reservoir operation model, and a genetic algorithm optimization model. The model application revealed that the reservoir upstream of Nashville was more contained and that an optimal gate release schedule could have decreased the floodwater levels in downtown Nashville below the 100-year flood stage. The application is for demonstrative purposes only, but does reflect the suitability of the optimization/simulation model for real-world application.