Reducing Flood Storage Space at Reservoirs: A Benefit Cost Analysis for the Mokelumne River System, California

Reservoir operations are increasingly being challenged to serve the diverse and growing demand for water as hydrologic, ecologic and climatic conditions change. With the recognition of environmental benefits for reservoir-floodplain connectivity and the emergence of society's awareness of water resource degradation, significant opportunities exist to update reservoir operations. In the past, limited benefits and the comprehensive analysis required to update these operations have hindered progress. This thesis provides an evaluation framework for new operating rules that integrates flood damage, water supply, hydropower and environmental releases for a pair of central California reservoirs. Transfer of various amounts of flood storage space to other purposes is used to increase overall net benefits in a benefit cost analysis. For small to moderate reductions in flood storage space---less than 50%, revenues from water supply and hydropower offset flood damages. Transfers of 25% and 50% improve net benefits (...