Transcript Slide 1

Oroville Reservoir Inflow Forecasting Using the
HED-71 Inflow Forecast Model
Mock Scenario:
LATE DECEMBER 2005 STORMS
Dave Rizzardo, PE
Chief, Forecasting Section
Hydrology Branch
DWR - Division of Flood Management
HED-71 Inflow Forecast Model Facts
• Originally Developed in early 1970s (1971
perhaps?) by DWR and NWS Forecasters
(Bob Burnash and Larry Ferral)
• Converted to current FORTRAN
“interactive” format by Gary Hester and Jack
Grewal
• Late 1980s added feature of simulating soil
infiltration capacity recovery during dry
periods
HED-71’s Strengths
• Simple and easy to use and learn
• Provides relatively quick results
• Simple input (precipitation, freezing
elevations, etc) and principles (unit hydrograph
for each basin)
• Can be used on almost any headwater basin
within California (53 total basins are
configured)
• In the hands of a skilled forecaster, HED71
will yield excellent results over a wide range of
HED-71’s Weaknesses
• Does not handle long dry periods well
(Must “start a new storm”)
• FORTRAN code is old and limited
• Interface is DOS based – not easy to navigate
to make corrections
• Tends to melt existing snow pack too quickly
requiring savvy modeler to “tame” springtime
heat spells
• Anticedence Index input (soil moisture) is a
bit ambiguous
HED-71’s Input
Base Conditions:
• Current Date, time
• Antecedence Index
• Base Flow (tcfs)
• Snow Pack (swc - in.) per elevation band
6-Hourly Input:
• Observed or Forecasted Precipitation (inches)
• Observed Flow (if known) (tcfs)
• Observed or Forecasted Freezing Elev. (ft)
HED-71’s Input
Feather River
Precipitation and
Temperature
Forecast:
Provided daily by State or
NWS Meteorologists
HED-71’s Interface
Antecedence Index and Base
Flow Parameters are entered
after date and time. Both are
estimates.
Snow Water Content (SWC)
is then added for every
elevation band from 1000’ to
14000’ if applicable.
SWC is estimated for the
Feather Basin from snow
pillows at:
Rattlesnake
Four Trees
Bucks Lake
Humbug Summit
HED-71’s Interface
Once Base conditions are in…
..it is time to update the model
with the forecasted values from
the meteorologists.
First – a few days of observed
precipitation, inflow, and
temperatures are put into the
model to “warm up” the model
Next – 6-hourly precipitation
and freezing elevations are put
into the model (4 inputs per
day) for the 10-day forecast
period.
HED-71’s Interface
Then the model is executed
and results are printed on the
screen for quick review..
Verify SWC Input
Verify Precipitation
and Elevation Input
Now Evaluate Model
results..
Does forecasted inflow
make sense?
Does forecast agree with
other models (RFC 5-Day
Forecast, ESP Snow Melt
Model, etc)?
HED-71’s Interface
Problems noted?!?
• Re-examine Input
• Too Much or Too Little
Precipitation?
• Melting too fast –
moderate temperatures
• Antecedence conditions
too wet or dry? Raise or
lower A.I.
• Too much or too little
snow pack? Adjust
amounts as needed.
December 2005 Inflow
Scenario

Four warm winter storms
laden with tropical moisture

December Northern Sierra
8-Stations total
precipitation: 26”

310% of average

4th wettest December on
record
December 15, 2005
Very Little Precipitation
forecast for next 10-days!
Merry Christmas indeed!
Northern Sierra 8-Station Precipitation (inches)
Water Year 2006
Thursday, December 15, 2005
October Total:
1.5 " Percent of October Average:
October Average:
3.0 "
November Total:
6.4 " Percent of November Average:
November Average:
6.3 "
December to Date (revised):
December Monthly Average:
50%
102%
Total precipitation since Monday, December 12, 2005
0.0"
4.5 " Percent of Monthly December Average:
8.4 "
54%
Seasonal Total to Date:
Seasonal Average to Date:
12.4 " Percent of Seasonal Average to Date:
13.4 "
93%
Dec. precip. by 12/15:
Water Year Average
50.0 " Percent of an Average Water Year:
25%
4.5” for 54% of Dec. Avg.
December 27, 2005
Conditions changed
quickly – after two wet
storms had already
passed, we were now
expecting at least two
more by New Year’s!
Northern Sierra 8-Station Precipitation (inches)
Water Year 2006
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
October Total:
1.5 " Percent of October Average:
October Average:
3.0 "
November Total:
6.4 " Percent of November Average:
November Average:
6.3 "
Total precipitation since Friday, December 23, 2005
50%
102%
3.0"
December to Date:
December Monthly Average:
16.4 " Percent of Monthly December Average:
8.4 "
195%
Seasonal Total to Date:
Seasonal Average to Date:
24.4 " Percent of Seasonal Average to Date:
16.6 "
147%
Water Year Average
50.0 " Percent of an Average Water Year:
49%
Dec. precip. by 12/27:
16.4” for 195% of Dec.
January 1, 2006
Happy New Year’s!
When it was all said
and done….
The last hurrah came on New
Year’s day
Northern Sierra 8-Station Precipitation (inches)
Water Year 2006
Sunday, January 01, 2006
October Total:
1.5 " Percent of October Average:
October Average:
3.0 "
November Total:
6.4 " Percent of November Average:
November Average:
6.3 "
December to Date:
December Monthly Average:
25.8 " Percent of Monthly December Average:
50%
102%
307%
8.4 "
Total precipitation since Saturday, December 31, 2005
January to Date:
0.5 " Percent of Monthly January Average:
December Monthly Average:
9.0 "
Seasonal Total to Date:
Seasonal Average to Date:
34.3 " Percent of Seasonal Average to Date:
18.0 "
Water Year Average
50.0 " Percent of an Average Water Year:
0.5"
6%
191%
Total December ’05 Precip:
25.8” for 307% of Dec. Avg.
69%
.. or over 21” in two weeks!!
How did HED-71 Do?
Not bad at all!
• Predicted a peak inflow
of almost 122,000 cfs into
Lake Oroville
Observed was 127,000 cfs
Overall HED71 missed peak daily values, but modeled the
trend of the inflow fairly well. Much credit to the
meteorologists on this!
HYDROLOGY – Reservoirs - Oroville
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Storage before:
Storage after:
Inflow:
Outflow:
Lake elevation:
Peak inflow:
Peak inflow ’97:
2,795 TAF
2,849 TAF
483 TAF
431 TAF
+10 feet
166,540 cfs
302,000 cfs
(TAF = thousand acre feet)
HYDROLOGY–Rivers–Sacramento - Stage
High Water Events
Station
2005 – 06
1997
1986
(feet)
(feet)
(feet)
Bend Bridge
30.1
30.6
32.8
Tehama Bridge
220.0
221.2
220.1
Hamilton City
149.7
150.9
150.5
Ord Ferry
117.7
118.7
118.3
Fremont Weir
39.9
42.5
41.7
I Street Bridge
27.7
30.4
30.7
Rio Vista
10.6
11.2
11.5
Sacramento Weir - Jan 3, 2006
HYDROLOGY– Rivers – Feather - Stage
Station
Yuba City
Nicolaus
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High Water Events
2005 – 06
1997
1986
(feet)
(feet)
(feet)
68.4
45.9
78.2
50.4
76.3
49.1
3-day precipitation data return periods (yrs):
 Upper Sacramento River 1 in 5
 Feather River
1 in 5
 Yuba River
1 in 5
 American River
1 in 5
RESPONSE
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December 27, 2005 – DWR Flood Alert
 Extended hours at the State-Federal
Flood Operations Center (FOC)
 Increased flood information processing
 High water notification calls made to pertinent agencies
 Increased readiness to facilitate flood fight efforts if needed
December 29, 2005 – DWR Flood Mobilization
 FOC staffed 24/7
 DWR in conjunction with the NWS produced river forecast bulletins
every six hours
 DWR levee inspectors patrolled 24/7 in State Maintenance Areas
 State funds were made available for materials, emergency equipment,
and for personnel working on flood operations
 About 200 DWR staff, 4 CDF crews, and * CCC crews were ultimately
involved in the event
QUESTIONS?