Assignment No 1 

Reservoir engineering 
 

SUBMITTED BY 
Name:        Mehran Sharafat 

Reg No:        Bsct01171033 

Section:         Cv.7.M 

Subject:    Irrigation and Hydraulic 
Structure   

SUBMITTED TO 
Engr. Khuram Riaz 
 

DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY
THE UNIVERSITY OF LAHORE
26-April-2020
Q.1 What is reservoir engineering and how to operate a reservoir?
Reservoir:
A reservoir is, most commonly, an enlarged natural or artificial lake, pond or impoundment
created using a dam or lock to store water.
Reservoir Engineering:
The branch of civil engineering concerned with the construction of dams and reservoirs for
water.
Reservoir Operation
Reservoir operators monitor the water level of the reservoir as well as flow downstream. A
certain quantity of water needs to be released from a reservoir to maintain good water quality and
a healthy aquatic habitat. Many aquatic species, including plants and animals, are sensitive to
changes in their environment and require a minimum amount of water to survive.
Factors that inform operators on how much water to release downstream include: meeting
aquatic ecosystem needs; amount of water lost to evaporation; amount of water trapped in the
spongey riparian zone; and water license holders that divert water from the river. All of these
factors need to be considered when an operator determines how much water to send
downstream.
Typically, in the winter months the streamflow downstream of a reservoir are much greater than
they would be in a natural system without the reservoir due to winter releases (e.g. hydropower
generation). This ensures a steady, stable supply of water in the river through the winter months
for waste assimilation. In the spring, a reservoir will generally be at or near to its minimum
storage capacity. During this period, the dam and associated infrastructure are often inspected
and the reservoir area will be examined. Reservoir refill usually begins in mid-June and will fill
at variable rates depending on weather patterns and snowpack conditions, typically targeting
beginning of August for full reservoir refill. The remaining flows are then sent downstream. The
reservoir is then ready to supply water to downstream users for another winter.
Q.2 Explain the rules and regulations of storage reservoirs?