| Water users in California's water right systems have different priorities to available water during drought. An integrated set of water right allocation models was developed to determine optimize water allocation under drought conditions according to riparian and appropriative water right principles, with spatially varying water availability. Linear programming formulations are developed and applied for both cases. The models were extended to determine reliability of curtailment and factors of safety during the water right curtailment process. Alternate methods for issuing curtailments are discussed. Curtailments from the models are compared to actual curtailments issued in the Eel River, California for June 30, 2014. By implementing water right laws as an algorithm, the allocation models offer a more transparent and precise vision for water rights curtailments in California. |
