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Optimizing spillway capacity with an estimated distribution of floods
Author(s) -
ResendizCarrillo Daniel,
Lave Lester B.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr023i011p02043
Subject(s) - spillway , flood myth , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , dam failure , dam break , civil engineering , water resource management , geotechnical engineering , engineering , geography , archaeology
A model of social cost minimizing spillway capacity for dams is constructed using (1) the estimated distribution of peak flows from historical data, (2) the estimated relationship between spillway capacity and cost, and (3) a characterization of downstream flood damage from dam failure. Net social cost is the sum of construction costs and expected flood damage. This model is applied to data for the Rio Grande River at Embudo, New Mexico. Minimum social cost is attained at a spillway capacity much smaller than that needed to handle a probably maximum flood.