Abstract |
The physical features of the Wisconsin River Basin and the development of the river and its tributaries are described together with its utilization by hydroelectric plants, pulp and paper mills, other industries, agriculture, municipalities, and recreationists. The storage reservoir system is examined in order to describe the determination of observed flows as a result of reservoir operating rules, control points, seasonal factors and constraints on the system. A simulation model of the flow patterns is developed in order to analyze the effects of flow variation on water quality. Much of the fiscal computation is done manually since the objective is to obtain answers for representative water years having high, medium, and low flow rather than to write a generalized computer program. Using historical data records on storage and flow, a streamflow routing program represents the existing system of storage reservoirs together with the river and its tributaries, and permits alternative procedures for controlling the reservoir levels or for controlling the rate of flow at specific gaging stations. A method for estimating flow augmentation capacity is described. (WRSIC abstract) |