Evaluating the operation of dams under different management programs using the WEAP model (case study: Kardeh Dam of Mashhad)

The main goal of this research is management and comprehensive planning to optimally use the available water resources of Karde dam, using the WEAP model, and supply the demand in the agriculture and drinking sectors, considering the growth of their needs in the future. For this purpose, Karde Dam was first simulated in the environment of WEAP model and the model was implemented for basic conditions and seven different scenarios of development plans. According to the results obtained for the reference scenario, this dam alone does not respond to all the needs defined completely in the horizon of the project, except by applying management measures in the form of scenarios, which will reduce water consumption in different sectors of demand. Among these scenarios are demand management, increasing irrigation efficiency, using both at the same time in one scenario, changing or reducing the cultivation pattern, etc. As a result, by applying the low irrigation scenario and increasing the efficiency at the same time, it is possible to reduce the lack of water demand by 37% compared to the reference scenario, and the reservoir storage volume in this scenario increases by 25% compared to the reservoir storage volume in the reference scenario.