USING IN-LINE RESERVOIR OPERATIONAL STRATEGY TO IMPROVE DEZ MAIN IRRIGATION CANAL PERFORMANCE

In this study an in-line storage strategy is applied to improve the existing operational performance of an upstream-controlled 13-pool irrigation canal. Three pools in the upstream, middle and downstream sections of the main canal are considered as in-line reservoirs. Decentralized proportional-integral (PI) controllers are designed to regulate their upstream water levels based on a mixed control method. Each regulator is coupled to its upstream in-line reservoir. The objectives of the controlled system are keeping the upstream water level of each regulator at the target levels; reducing delay times of flow travelling in the canal and compensating for mismatches between upstream supply and downstream demands. Existing and proposed operational methods are compared, using the hydrodynamic modelling package Sobek, considering a severe and sudden increasing- decreasing flow condition. In this case study, the water level profiles and controller performance indicators imply that in-line storage in the main canal decreases water level deviations in most of the pools in the range of 24-57 % in comparison with the current operation. Moreover, using in-line reservoirs decreases the delay times especially in the downstream part of the canal. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.