Author(s): Igor Mlakar; Matjaz Knapic; Rak Gasper

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Keywords: Flood-control reservoir; Flooding; Operation modes; Climate change; 2D hydraulic modelling

Abstract: The paper presents a case study of optimizing and adapting the operational mode of a flood-control reservoir in Slovenia in the wake of climate change. Due to the flood-control reservoirs' lengthy design and build processes, the hydrological design parameters have been affected by climate change, resulting in significantly higher peak discharge values of high-water waves above the reservoir’s designed 100-year return period capacity. This necessitates adaptations of the operational mode of the reservoir in events exceeding its design capacity, as the design operational mode no longer noticeably reduces the flood peak discharge rates. A full 2D hydraulic model of the reservoir and the downstream area was developed and used to model the design operation mode and the proposed, optimized mode, for scenarios when high-water events exceed the reservoir’s retention capacity. The flood extent of the affected area downstream was used to evaluate the flood water damage and to quantify the two operation modes. It was found that the operations of the flood-control reservoir can be optimized to greatly reduce the flood water damage in events exceeding its designed capacity.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/978-90-835589-7-4_41WC-P1629-cd

Year: 2025