Dynamic attribution of water quality indexes in a multi-reservoir optimization model Original Research Article

In the southern regions of Mediterranean Europe, the greatest part of water resources for supply systems come from artificial reservoirs. Eutrophication is one of the most serious problems affecting the quality of water stored in reservoirs. A simplified approach that includes water quality aspects as water use limiting factors in a multi-reservoir optimization model can be achieved by adoption of the Trophic State Index (TSI). This paper makes some improvements on the optimization model already presented by Sechi and Sulis in the management of large systems. Particularly, it addresses the possibility of dynamic attribution of quality indexes in the LP model. The application of the optimization approach to different operating rules in a real multi-reservoir system in southern Sardinia highlights the need for joint consideration of quality and quantity aspects for effective water management.