Likewise, the contents of this publication have not necessarily been verified by and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Brazos River Authority. All programs and information of the Texas Water Resources Institute are available to everyone without regard to race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, or age. Introduction Statement of the Problem Effective management of its surface water resources is essential to the continued growth and prosperity of the state of Texas. Rapid population and economic growth combined with depleting ground water reserves are resulting in ever-increasing demands being placed upon the surface water resources. The climate of the state is characterized by extremes of floods and droughts.
Reservoirs are necessary to control and utilize the highly variable streamflow.
Numerous reservoirs have been constructed to facilitate management of the water resources of the various river basins of the state. Estimates of reservoir yield are a key element in practically all studies and decisions involving development and management of surface water supplies. Yield is defined as the amount of water which can be supplied by an unregulated stream, reservoir, or multiple reservoir system during a specified period of time. The stochastic nature of streamflow must be reflected in methods for quantifying yield. The approaches for expressing yield which traditionally have been used in water supply planning and management are firm yield and, to a lesser extent, reliability.