TN-73 : Review of methodology for low flow forecasting

Abstract

In order to develop agriculture based economy and to meet the demands of growing population; in terms of irrigation, drinking water, hydropower generation and industrial use etc. a sound knowledge of the water availability and its time distribution is is essential .In particular, the flows during the non-monsoon months, commonly known as lowflows play very vital role in the over all development.Lowflow modelling is also necessary for dealing with problems of environmental impact evaluation and stream pollution. The availability of iowflows is highly variable both within the year as well as over the years and the importance of lowflow forecasting is being increasingly felt for proper regulation of the existing water resources projects as well as for the optimal planning of the future projects

Considerable work has been carried out in recent years for the analysis of the characteristics of the lowflows and development of suitable models to represent these characteristics. A number of models for real time forecasting of the river flows including the lowflows have also been recommended in recent times.

In this report, an attempt has been made to review the various studies related to lowflow forecasting and briefly describe some of the important models with special reference to their suitability for Indian Conditions.