Author(s): Maikel Mendez, Luis A. Calvo-Valverde
Linked Author(s): Maikel Mendez Morales
Keywords: Analysis, flood, R, SFASUR-TEC, streamflow
Abstract: The Streamflow and Flood Analysis System Using R (SFASUR-TEC) was developed as part of a research project focusing on hydrological modelling for operational hydropower planning and forecasting in tropical mountainous regions of Costa Rica. Since Costa Rica has an enormous hydropower potential and renewable energy markets that keep on growing, reliable estimation and assessment of river flows is imperative. SFASUR-TEC was developed to increase the understanding of natural and altered flow regimes linked to relevant physical processes with a particular interest in hydropower applications. Consequently, SFASUR-TEC is a collection of methods to identify and quantify key components of flow regimes and assess their behaviour through time. The system was completely developed using the R programming language based on various criteria, including availability of specialized libraries, open-source implementation and cross-platform compatibility. To evaluate the performance of the system, SFASUR-TEC was applied to the upper Toro River catchment in Costa Rica using a 17-year streamflow data set (1994-2010). The catchment was selected based on its predominantly mountainous and rainy conditions, its relevance in the Costa Rican hydropower generation context and the availability of temporal and spatial information. Results from the Flood Frequency Analysis Block, suggest a 60 m3/s peak flow for a 20-year return period (FFATr20) along with its 95% confidence intervals with values between 42 and 93 m3/s. Flow Duration Curves (FDCs) show that the dry season expands from February through April, with flow values as low as 1. 5 m3/s, essentially sustained by baseflow. Baseflow Separation shows that baseflow is indeed a considerable contribution to total streamflow, with BFI values ranging from 0. 12 to 0. 40 between the months of May through December. Results from this study are intended to support strategic decision-making to improve the performance of the hydropower facilities currently installed in the upper Toro River catchment and elsewhere
Year: 2017