NEGOTIATIONS
FOCUS
PROCESS
KEY STEPS
|
|
Your location: Home |
|
Compendium on methods and tools to evaluate impacts of, and vulnerability and adaptation to, climate
change
|
Aquarius
|
|
Description
|
A computer model depicting the temporal and spatial allocation of water flows among competing
traditional and nontraditional water uses in a river basin.
The model focuses on optimization of a nonlinear system, where supplies and requested demands are
prescribed on the system. Water resource systems are described in a node-link architecture, with
river reaches, reservoirs, lakes, and demand objects describing the system. A drag and drop user
interface helps define the system layout, which is then translated into a quadratic objective
function with linear constraints.
|
|
Appropriate Use
|
Determining economically efficient water destination strategies. Can be used in a full deterministic
optimization mode, for general planning purposes, or in a quasi-simulation mode, with restricted
foresight capabilities. Supports the following water uses (system components): storage reservoir,
hydropower plants, agricultural water use, municipal and industrial water use, instream recreation
water use, reservoir recreation use, and instream flow protection.
For a water use with a predetermined level of allocation but without a defined economic demand
function, the analyst can either constrain the model to meet the specified allocation or experiment
with surrogate demand curves until the required level of water allocation is reached. The latter
approach indicates the level of economic subsidy required to provide the incremental increases of
flow to sustain the use in open competition with other uses. The interactive nature of Aquarius
facilitates such experimentation.
|
|
Scope
|
All locations; surface and groundwater systems; cost-effectiveness; national or site-specific.
|
|
Key Output
|
Economically efficient allocations that meet prescribed demands.
|
|
Key Input
|
The model’s input data have been divided into physical and economic data. The physical data
include the information associated with the dimensions and operational characteristics of the system
components, such as maximum reservoir capacity, percent of return flow from an offstream demand area,
and power plant efficiency. The economic data consist mainly of the demand functions of the various
water uses competing for water.
|
|
Ease of Use
|
Fairly easy to use. Straightforward user interface with limited modeling scope makes model setup time
relatively short.
|
|
Training Required
|
Minimal training required. Requires some knowledge of optimization theory.
|
|
Training Available
|
Questions regarding software availability and training can be directed to Gustavo E. Diaz.
|
|
Computer Requirements
|
PC Windows 95, 98, NT, or Windows 2000 operating system.
|
|
Documentation
|
Model documentation is available on line at 
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/value/docs/aquadoc01.pdf.
|
|
Applications
|
Authors are not aware of existing applications in developing countries.
|
|
Contacts for Framework, Documentation, Technical Assistance
|
Gustavo E. Diaz
Department of Civil Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA; Tel:
+1.970.491.5048; Fax: +1.970.491.7721; e-mail: gdiaz@lamar.colostate.edu; website: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/value/aquariusdwnld.html.
|
|
Cost
|
Model documentation and software is free for government agencies and for teaching and research
purposes.
|
|
References
|
Diaz, G.E., T.C. Brown, and O. Sveinsson. 2005. Aquarius: A Modeling System for River Basin Water
Allocation. General Technical Report RM-GTR-299-revised. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO.
|
|
|
| |
|
