Tools for Water Level Management in Flood Control Reservoirs

Flood-control reservoirs experience water level fluctuations that control survival of their biota. I explored diverse but related aspects of water-level management. Three frameworks were indentified for directing rule curve (i.e., daily targets for water levels) changes in flood-control reservoirs managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), with differing scopes and requirements. Framework choice depends on the reservoir’s primary authorization and magnitude of the contemplated change. Changes without congressional approval must be based on flood risk. Quantile regression was used to model a maximum water level with a user-specified level of risk. Because actions that request changes to water levels from natural resource professionals should have a sound ecological basis, I analyzed the relationships between water level fluctuations and vegetation in reservoirs. Remote sensing methods were used to calculate a greenness index from vegetation in the reservoir based on 14 years of satellite imagery and water levels