ABSTRACT
The increasing occurrence of drought events along with lack of proper drought management practices in various regions of the world has caused several socioeconomic problems for natural-resource-dependent communities. The operation of surface water resources that are quickly affected by drought, in most regions, is performed using the reservoir. Therefore, reservoir operation during drought is one of the most important drought management policies. During wet and normal periods, when inflow is sufficient, achieving reservoir operating targets does not pose a problem. However, during drought or when forecasting a drought, it may not be possible to reach the target because of an inflow shortage. To minimize the impact of drought on reservoir performance, rule curves are coupled with hedging rules to balance the shortage in water supply with the storage target. This chapter discusses reservoir operation during drought.
