Multiobjective Optimization of the Colorado River

The Colorado River's 80-year history of treaties, compacts, laws, and court decisions are often referred to as the Law of the River. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has developed operating criteria to satisfy these legal requirements. Satisfaction of these complicated criteria is one important measure of the success of a basin model. USBR simulation models such as the Colorado River Simulation Study (CRSS) and the 24 Month Study have incorporated these criteria and are widely used for policy analysis. Both of these models have been reimplemented as rule-based simulations in RiverWare, a general river basin modelling tool. The application of optimization to policy analysis on the Colorado River has been limited by the ability of optimization models to similarly represent these mandated requirements for operations. Using the goal programming component of RiverWare, we have created a monthly optimization model of the Colorado River that replicated the 24 Month Study. Using this solution as a base, the hydropower value of selectively relaxing policies was found.