OPTIMIZATION OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS: INTEGRATING INVASIVE WEED ALGORITHMS WITH RESERVOIR SIMULATION MODELS

Abstract

Effective reservoir management is critical for maximizing the sustainable utilization of water resources. This study presents an innovative approach to improving reservoir operations by integrating the Invasive Weed Optimization (IWO) algorithm with a reservoir simulation model. The Phuttha Utthayan Reservoir in Amnat Charoen Province, Thailand, was selected as the case study, given its significance for agricultural irrigation, municipal water supply, and flood control in the region. The study focuses on developing optimized reservoir rule curves to address the challenges of fluctuating inflows and competing water demands. Using a synthetic dataset comprising 500 samples of inflow scenarios, the proposed IWO-based rule curves were evaluated against traditional control curves. Performance metrics, including water shortage frequency, overflow volume, and the duration of reservoir releases, were analyzed. The results demonstrate that the IWO algorithm outperforms conventional methods by significantly reducing water shortages and overflow events. This improvement highlights the efficacy of advanced optimization techniques in enhancing the operational efficiency of reservoirs. The findings underscore the potential of adopting IWO-derived rule curves to better adapt to dynamic water management needs and to support long-term sustainable water resource strategies.