Author(s): Jorge Reyes, Marina Farias Zegada, Ismael Sánchez, Kiara Tesén

Linked Author(s): Marina Farias Zegada

Keywords: Reservoir; Poechos; Sedimentation; Desilting; Forecasting; ARIMA;

Abstract: The Poechos reservoir is one of the most important hydraulic structures in northwestern Peru, with an initial capacity of 885 Hm3 and a current capacity of 397 Hm3. Its progressive sedimentation increased during the extraordinarily humid years, 1983, 1998 and 2017, due to the high sediment load and the operation rules, only oriented to guarantee water supply and flood control. Rules do not contemplate taking advantage of water energy for desilting, as recommended specialized bibliography and the University of Piura, UDEP methodology. The 2017 coastal El Niño presented the ideal scenario to apply this methodology. However, the operating entity could not apply because it was not in the operation manuals. This research seeks to demonstrate that 2017 was a propitious year to use the methodology that makes a model for forecast the reservoir inflow and the accumulated volume of water that will enter in the following days. From this forecast, the appropriate operation is simulated, updating it with the real time flows and comparing it with the operation carried out. Finally, the sedimentation produced during the January-April 2017 period is evaluated using the bathymetries performed. The results show that the predictions allow cleaning operations to be carried out with the confidence of serving the demand for the rest of the year. It has been concluded that, if the operations manual had contemplated the UDEP desilting methodology, the energy from the water could have been used, allowing the gradual and constant recovery of the useful volume of Poechos.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/38WC092019-1765

Year: 2019