Optimization of Cascade Small Hydropower Station Operation in the Jianhe River Basin Using a One-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Model

Abstract

Hydropower development brings benefits in terms of power generation and flood control, but it also has inevitable ecological impacts. These impacts must be considered and addressed in order to ensure sustainable development and minimize harm to the environment. This study utilized the MIKE 11 HD modeling system to construct a hydrological and hydrodynamic model of the Jianhe River basin. The model incorporates the flow demand of ecologically sensitive targets for scheduling purposes and was calibrated and validated using hydrological data from 2014 to 2022. The hydrodynamic model was then applied to analyze the evolution characteristics of the water level in the main stream of the Jianhe River, identify key areas and periods for hydropower station operation, and calculate the minimum ecological water requirement using verification and estimation methods. Based on these findings, an ecological dispatching scheme for the cascade hydropower stations in the Jianhe River basin was developed. The results demonstrate satisfactory performance of the constructed NAM model for rainfall runoff and the 1D hydrodynamic MIKE 11 HD model for the Jianhe River basin. The deterministic coefficients exceed 0.8, and the relative errors in the total water volume are below 5.5%. The critical time and space interval for hydropower station operation in the main stream of the Jianhe River is identified as December to February of the following year, with the highest risk of flow interruption occurring in January, primarily concentrated between the Duoluo II and Huahai hydropower stations. If the appropriate dispatching scheme is not implemented in the areas prone to flow interruption during critical periods, it will have a negative impact on the ecological environment. These findings provide a scientific basis and decision support for developing multi-objective ecological flow guarantee schemes for rivers.