Optimal Operation of a Multi-Reservoir System Using Water CycleAlgorithm (WCA) and Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA) (Case study: GorganroodBasin)

One of the most important problems in water resources management is the optimal operation of reservoirs. In this research, a metaheuristic algorithm called Water Cycle Algorithm (WCA), has been developed in MATLAB software, with the purpose of optimal allocation strategies of a multi-reservoir system (Golestan and Voshmgir dams) located at Gorganrood Basin (North of Iran), for a five year period (from 2007-2008 to 2011-2012). Firstly, the performance of the developed model was investigated through several standard test functions. Next, the developed model is applied for monthly operation of Gorganrood multi-reservoir system. The objective function was defined as the “minimization of the total deficit for the study period”. In order to investigate the performance evaluation of the developed model, two criteria of reliability (temporal and volume) and vulnerability have been used. The results of the developed model were compared with Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA) and standard operation policy (SOP). WCA,GSA and SOP models were capable to supply 97.73, 85.26 and 76.78 percent of Golestan dam water demand, respectively. For the Voshmgir dam, the mentioned methods could supply 97.06, 89.31 and 68.29 percent of water demand, in same order. The results revealed that WCA model was the best in optimal operation of a multi-reservoir system, among other studied models.