Goal‐Programming Techniques for Optimal Reservoir Operations

Abstract

The problem of optimal reservoir operations consists of obtaining optimal releases, reservoir storages, and downstream reach routed flows based on forecasted inflows and precipitation. Five goal‐programming schemes that minimize deviations from a set of preferred target storage and flow values are considered: (1) Preemptive goal programming; (2) weighted goal programming; (3) min‐max goal programming, (4) fuzzy goal programming; and (5) interval goal programming. The reservoir operation problem is also formulated as a multiobjective linear program (MOLP). The optimal solutions of the goal programs are contained among the efficient points of the MOLP. It is also shown that the min‐max and fuzzy goal programs can yield inefficient points as optima; however, there exist efficient alternative optima. Because goal programs concentrate on achieving predetermined subjective target values, the potential optima for objectives may not be explored. An examination of the extreme points of the feasible region without the goal constraints overcomes this difficulty and provides a way to set realistic targets. These techniques are applied to the Green River basin in Kentucky data reported previously by other researchers.