Multistage Screening Process for River Basin Planning

Abstract

Simulation, screening, and optimization procedures are developed and used conjunctively to analyze multipurpose water development opportunities for a complex river system. The general model is capable of generating an information base for water‐development planning; evaluating physical and economic efficiencies of alternative water uses; and analyzing the economic and environmental tradeoffs, as well as the financing and policy issues associated with water development alternatives. The general model consists of three components: 'simulation, screening, and optimization, but this paper focuses on the simulation component. The simulation consists of a water‐use and economic algorithm capable of simulating water uses and losses, and calculating system costs and benefits for water development alternatives. The simulation model also generates input data for the multi‐objective optimization model.