Water Resource Assessment and Optimization for the Hill Watershed of Southern China

This study introduces a water resource assessment and optimization system aimed at improving water supply and optimizing irrigation in the hill area of southern China. Focused on addressing drought vulnerability, hill flash flood prediction, and reservoir operation optimization by integrating Geographic Information System (GIS), Building Information Modeling (BIM), hydrology and hydraulic modeling (H&H modeling), and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technologies. The system’s structure involves a GIS model for reservoir watershed identification, a BIM model for essential reservoir data integration, and hydraulic modeling for flow simulation and storage optimization. Real-time data from strategically positioned SCADA sensors contribute to a continuous simulation database, enabling real-time monitoring of flow and depth, along with spatial and temporal rainfall forecasts. During drought events, the system transforms into a decision-support tool. The developed system was implemented in a southern Chinese village spanning 15 km ² of irrigated land with eight years of continuous precipitation records. The watershed has 22 on-stream reservoirs with varied storage volumes and irrigation demands. The project follows three phases: data collection and assessment, GIS and BIM model creation for daily operational analysis, and SCADA installation for engineering analysis. The third phase integrates a hydraulic model to predict, simulate, and optimize the irrigation system. Anticipating future progress, Genetic Algorithms and machine learning will be integrated for enhanced optimization and reduced management costs. Overall, this research embodies a comprehensive approach, merging advanced technologies and data-driven methodologies to provide practical solutions for agricultural resilience in the face of water scarcity.