[1] We develop a methodology for estimating the performance of international regulatory regimes in the context of transboundary surface waters. Our performance metric relies on assessments, over time, of actual performance, counterfactual performance, and optimal performance. The metric is of practical relevance as a diagnostic tool for policy evaluation. Thus it provides a starting point for p...

The Masinga Reservoir located in the upper Tana River basin, Kenya, is extremely important in supplying the country’s hydropower and protecting downstream ecology. The dam serves as the primary storage reservoir, controlling streamflow through a series of downstream hydroelectric reservoirs. The Masinga dam’s operation is crucial in meeting power demands and thus contributing significantly to t...

During the past century, the number and scale of reservoirs worldwide has grown substantially to meet the demand for water and hydropower arising from increased population, industrialization, and urbanization. This is particularly the case in China, where reservoir construction increased rapidly after the Chinese economic reform and the introduction of open-door policies. On average, 4.4 large ...

Optimal short-term hydrothermal generation cooperation (OSTHTGC) is used to determine the optimal operation strategy for cascaded hydropower plants and thermal plants. In this problem, equality constraints consisting of water time delay, reservoir volume, continuity water and power balance, as well as inequality constraints related to the limits of thermal and hydro generations are taken into a...

The first stage in development and design of Pumped Storage Hydropower Plants (PSHP) is finding the optimum location. This paper presents a methodology for preliminary site selection of PSHP with the help of geospatial data analysis in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. The conventional method of PSHP site selection has certain limitations and is not cost and time effective. The...

During non-generation periods, leakage through the wicket gates of a hydroturbine often results in very poor quality water (low or zero dissolved oxygen) in the tailrace of the hydropower facility. Generally, the leakage rate is relatively small, usually about 5-10 cfs per turbine. A bottom-mounted diffuser system was designed based on laboratory-measured and manufacturer-supplied specification...

Emissions of CO2 and CH4 from freshwater reservoirs constitute a globally significant source of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs), but knowledge gaps remain with regard to spatiotemporal drivers of emissions. We document the spatial and seasonal variation in surface diffusion of CO2 and CH4 from Douglas Lake, a hydropower reservoir in Tennessee, USA. Monthly estimates across 13 reservoir site...

The outbreak of debris flows in a reservoir region can affect the stability of hydropower stations and threaten the lives of the people living downstream of dams. Therefore, determining the hazard degree of debris flows in a reservoir region is of great importance. SPOT5 remote sensing images and digital elevation models are introduced to determine the characteristics of debris-flow catchments....