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Water Available for Flood-MAR and Reservoir Operations Vulnerability Assessment
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  • Aleksander Vdovichenko,
  • Lee Bergfeld,
  • Wesley Walker,
  • Francisco Flores-Lopez
Aleksander Vdovichenko
California Department of Water Resources

Corresponding Author:aleksander.vdovichenko@water.ca.gov

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Lee Bergfeld
MBK Engineers
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Wesley Walker
MBK Engineers
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Francisco Flores-Lopez
Organization Not Listed
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Abstract

Department of Water Resources (DWR), in partnership with the Merced Irrigation District (MID), is conducting a reconnaissance level study to assess the potential of implementing Flood-MAR in the Merced River watershed within the San Joaquin Valley. One aspect of the Flood-MAR study focuses on reservoir operations using synthetic hydrology generated based on the Paleoclimate (Tree-Ring) Study methodology. The MID HEC-ResSim model was calibrated to simulate water supply and flood control operations over the water year. The model was modified to estimate water available for Flood-MAR based on flow at a downstream location, conveyance capacity and groundwater recharge capacity. Results include changes in storage at Lake McClure, flow in Merced River, water supply deliveries, and Flood-MAR deliveries due to Flood-MAR implementation. The study also assesses the vulnerability of reservoir operations due to changing hydrology by evaluating the effects of climate change on flood management, water supply reliability, and drought resiliency. The flood management aspect of the vulnerability analysis assesses change in peak flow, flow volume, and duration of flooding events. The water supply reliability assesses change in carryover storage and deliveries for irrigation demands. The drought resiliency assessment includes change in magnitude and duration of the historical and synthetic drought events. The results of the reservoir operations vulnerability analysis will be used to determine the multiple benefits of Flood-MAR implementation.