Reservoir Regulation and Real-Time Models for Trinity River Flood Prevention and Control

After unprecedented flooding from the Spring of 1989 through 1991 in the Trinity River basin, the Texas legislature allocated funds for flood related studies in Senate Bill 1543 (1991). Subsequently, the Texas Water Commission, in conjunction with the Trinity River Authority, retained Albert H. Halff Associates to study possible alternative system-wide reservoir operation schemes, and to develop the key technical elements of a real-time flood forecasting system for the Trinity River basin. The objectives of the reservoir operation study were to prepare a basin-wide reservoir simulation model for existing reservoir operating conditions, verify the model with observed historical reservoir operation data, and evaluate the effectiveness of several basin-wide operation scenarios on controlling flooding in the Trinity River basin. The real-time system study involved development of an integrated network of flood data acquisition components and computer models, intended to facilitate the forecasting of basin-wide flood flows during a flood event.