Abstract
Department of Water Resources (DWR), in partnership with the Merced
Irrigation District (MID), is conducting a reconnaissance level study to
assess the potential of implementing Flood-MAR in the Merced River
watershed within the San Joaquin Valley. One aspect of the Flood-MAR
study focuses on reservoir operations using synthetic hydrology
generated based on the Paleoclimate (Tree-Ring) Study methodology. The
MID HEC-ResSim model was calibrated to simulate water supply and flood
control operations over the water year. The model was modified to
estimate water available for Flood-MAR based on flow at a downstream
location, conveyance capacity and groundwater recharge capacity. Results
include changes in storage at Lake McClure, flow in Merced River, water
supply deliveries, and Flood-MAR deliveries due to Flood-MAR
implementation. The study also assesses the vulnerability of reservoir
operations due to changing hydrology by evaluating the effects of
climate change on flood management, water supply reliability, and
drought resiliency. The flood management aspect of the vulnerability
analysis assesses change in peak flow, flow volume, and duration of
flooding events. The water supply reliability assesses change in
carryover storage and deliveries for irrigation demands. The drought
resiliency assessment includes change in magnitude and duration of the
historical and synthetic drought events. The results of the reservoir
operations vulnerability analysis will be used to determine the multiple
benefits of Flood-MAR implementation.