Development of reservoir operation model incorporating the pre-release strategy for the flood events

Floods are among the most prevalent natural disasters, posing substantial threats to human activities. Using flood forecast information, reservoirs can pre-release water or adjust storage to enhance flood control and water conservation benefits. Yet, the absence of intuitive guidelines for the reservoir operators in making immediate operational decisions under flood events present a significant challenge. The objective of this study is to develop a flood operation model that provides the pre-release guideline to minimize flood damage considering downstream conditions. The developed model includes five Flood Operation Method (FOMs) and tested which FOM fits the best for the Seomjingang Reservoir as a case study. As part of developing the model, this study provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that encompasses reservoir characteristics and operational data for multipurpose reservoirs in South Korea. The developed GUI generates the reference graphs and tables that assists the reservoir operators with hourly guidelines to make prompt decisions on the flood control for pre-release and storage usage. This model is applicable if operational information for multipurpose reservoirs in other countries is available. This approach not only enhances reservoir management but also advances the broader dialogue on water resources management, signaling a move towards more secure, efficient, and adaptable strategies for reservoir operations.