We hope to use this project as a pilot study in order to assess the feasibility of our scientific objectives to the hydroelectric sector. Facilities such as Itaipu are staffed by engineers whose primary goal, as reservoir managers, is optimizing the problem of flood protection vs. energy generation. In the event of predictions of flood, reservoir managers must decide to what extent they will increase reservoir releases, to safely accommodate incoming flood waters. Inherent to this decision process are potential tradeoffs. An underestimation of flood volume leaves the reservoir system unable to fully regulate flow and results in water being discarded into spillways.
Financial losses can vary on the order of several million dollars per year.