Optimizing a Minimum Instream Flowby

by Pamela P. Kenel, Black & Veatch Inc, Rockville, MD, USA,
Les K. Lampe, Black & Veatch Inc, Rockville, MD, USA,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering Hydrology

Abstract:

The Commonwealth of Virginia is currently investigating methods to establish minimum instream flow requirements which may be applied to flow allocations statewide. The Crump Creek Reservoir will be one of the first major stream diversion projects to be considered in this perspective. The project will consists of the damming of two creeks tributary to the Pamunkey River to create an offline storage reservoir. Water will be diverted from the river into the reservoir when the flow in the river exceeds the minimum instream flow requirement. A method for determining the recommended minimum instream flow for the Pamunkey River is documented in this paper. Key considerations include the identification of critical instream uses and the seasonal period of concern for each. Projected offstream use requirements are identified. The relationship between reservoir yield and minimum instream flow is evaluated for several diversion rates. A measurement of impact for selected minimum instream flow rates is developed for each diversion rate.

Subject Headings: Streamflow | Reservoirs | Rivers and streams | Flow measurement | Water storage | River flow | Project management | Virginia | United States

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