Study of optimized reservoir sediment operation based on optimal control theory

Sediment deposition in reservoirs under different operation conditions is quite severe in China,particularly in reservoirs located on sediment-laden rivers.The deposition could lead to a loss of reservoir capacity and the problems such as water pollution.Reservoir operation is a key factor in controlling the deposition and releasing of sediment.This paper proposes a method of reservoir operation based on the optimal control theory,and presents a verification of the method by using the data of field observation at a reservoir on the Heihe river in Shanxi.The calculation indicates that the percentage of sediment discharged from reservoir is significantly increased when the proposed method is adopted,and that the optimal control theory is a useful tool to study this problem.