Alabama Power Company
The client now incorporates the real-time modeling system in their decision-making process.
The Alabama Power Company (APC) operates a series of hydroelectric and power generating stations along the Black Warrior River, which traverses reservoirs that are managed to meet a variety of essential recreational, economic, environmental, and cultural functions. One of these reservoirs, Bankhead Lake, experiences flows dominated by releases from the upstream Smith Dam, which generates power and releases large pulses of water to help meet cooling water requirements at downstream power stations. This section of the waterway is deep and meandering; it experiences seasonal stratification and overturn, which drive complex horizontal and vertical variations in the lake’s thermal structure.
The project goal was to develop a real-time modeling system to support decision-making processes for hydroelectric and other power generation facilities.
DSI developed a hydrologic model of the Locust Fork Watershed and a statistical model to estimate flows from other upstream watersheds. The flow from hydrologic models was loosely coupled to a three-dimensional hydro-thermal model of Bankhead Lake. DSI calibrated and validated the hydro-thermal model using multiple years of monitoring data. The model characterized the systems’ overall behavior satisfactorily, and a high level of agreement was found between simulations and observed data for water level and temperature at calibration locations.
Based on the calibrated model, DSI developed and deployed a real-time modeling system for Bankhead Lake, running the model every day using a daily feed of historic and forecast meteorologic data. The daily feed is provided through multiple sensors and services, including public data. The simulated historic and forecast flow and temperature are updated after each run. The model outputs are made available to the clients through a secure portal, which generates graphs and reports to assist the clients in their reservoir operation management decisions. DSI continues to provide support services for the modeling system.
DSI delivered the final model and the report to the client and maintains the real-time modeling system.